France veteran Lilian Thuram is likely to quit football altogether, according to Paris St Germain president Charles Villeneuve.

Thuram's switch from Barcelona to the Ligue 1 club collapsed last month after medical tests discovered he has a heart problem.

The defender's brother died from the same condition and Villeneuve believes Thuram should not risk suffering a similar fate.

'What is most probable is that Thuram will decide to retire, even if there is good news from the tests that he did that were more extensive than the previous one,' he told Spain's Sport newspaper. 'All his family, starting with his sisters, have pushed him in this direction.

'After the exceptional career that he has enjoyed they think, as I do too, that it is stupid to take risks at the age of 36.'

France's most capped player already called time on his international career after Euro 2008.

Villeneuve has all but given up on Thuram donning the PSG shirt and already has his eyes set on the ideal replacement - AC Milan defender Alessandro Nesta.

'Nesta is a footballer who I love and who would fulfil our expectations' he added. 'But it's not going to be easy at all.'

Nesta, 32, has three years left on his contract at the Serie A giants and has spent the past six years at the San Siro.