Nabil Fekir is in high spirits amid his stalling move to Liverpool according to the president of the French Football Federation.
The Lyon captain was set to be announced as a Red on Friday following the agreement of personal terms and a £53million fee.
An image was even leaked of the Frenchman taking part in an interview for LFCTV ahead of his expected unveiling.
A late twist, however, saw the move stall due to concerns raised in Fekir’s medical over the knee issue that sidelined him for much of the 2015/2016 campaign.
It is now looking increasingly unlikely that the deal will be completed before the World Cup finals get underway, with French manager Didier Deschamps reportedly reluctant to let his players leave the camp to engage in transfer business.
French football president Noel Le Graet has gone someway towards restoring confidence over the chances of the deal materialising.
“It’s under negotiation, I think it will be done,” he told Le Progres.
“I spent a quarter of an hour with him this morning (Saturday), and his main focus is France.”
“He (Fekir) was rather optimistic because the meeting he had will prove to be positive. It’s always like that when you talk about a transfer.
“Everyone tries to raise their price, to lower their price, and when a little issue flares up, it’s part of the game.”
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Fekir’s resurgence following his knee issue has entailed a prominent role for Lyon over the past two seasons and no obvious warning signs of a recurrence of the injury.
Given the enormity of his transfer fee, though, it makes sense for Liverpool to seek medical reassurance over his physical condition and longevity ahead of a move to England.
Chief Anfield scout Barry Hunter is believed to have travelled to France to iron out the issues hindering the completion of the deal.
Reds could get the chance to see Fekir in action on Saturday evening when his nation take on the USA in a World Cup warmup match.