We’re sorry to reopen the Nabil Fekir wounds, but when new quotes and explanations emerge, it’s our duty to report!
Lyon chairman Jean-Michel Aulas has claimed for the first time that the last minute cancelation of the Nabil Fekir to Liverpool deal was not solely down to the knee problem that became apparent during the Frenchman’s medical.
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In fact, he has suggested that there were also problems with Fekir’s personal terms and that Liverpool simply used the knee issue to try and get a lower fee at the very last minute.
Interestingly, he also hints that our attempt to lower the fee due to Fekir’s knee was ‘not the real reason’ for our ‘change of heart’.
“At the final moment, the three parties did not find an agreement, but not just Liverpool and Lyon, who had had an agreement,” Aulas told RMC, translated by the Metro.
“There was a change of heart from Liverpool’s point of view, as we were in a tight situation in that Nabil was about to go to the World Cup, we decided to finish [the talks].
“Nabil at the time was ok with all of that.
“I think it (the knee injury) was one of the arguments that was used on the Liverpool side, but personally I do not think it was the real reason.”
Fekir went on to win the World Cup, but is not enjoying an especially brilliant season to date, having scored just twice in Ligue 1.
Liverpool on the other hand used our transfer war-chest to bring in Alisson, Fabinho, Naby Keita and Xherdan Shaqiri and are top of the Premier League, unbeaten after 16 games.
We’re pretty sure Fekir will be offloaded by Lyon at some point, but would be mightily surprised if he ended up at Anfield.