Nabil Fekir’s agent has reignited Liverpool’s talks and discloses the real reason behind the failed move last summer.
Liverpool paid 53 million pounds last summer and agreed on a five-year deal with Lyon for their skipper Nabil Fekir, but the deal did not go through because of undisclosed reasons. The French International has rejected to extend his contract with Groupama Stadium and the Reds are looking to take advantage of that situation as his deal expires on 2020.
The French publication L’Equipe reported that the club would be ready to ship him off this summer because of the impotence to tie him down to a new contract. Lyon president Aulas was vocal about his tendency to keep Nabil for long, but the world cup winner has denied any sorts of extension talks with his current club.
After Fekir turned down an offer from Lyon, he made a counter-proposal through his agent Jean-Pierre Bernes which the French outfit deemed financially not approvable. His agent will not take part in these negotiations, but he intends to make a decision whether Fekir signs a new deal at Lyon or not.
“It is not about staying here. And we will know maybe the real circumstances that prevented Fékir’s move to Liverpool. The knee was a part of it, but not only that. He had passed a medical, done photos with the Reds shirt.” said Bernes.
Aulas could find himself in a tricky situation this summer: he does not want to let Fekir go and he would not want to lose him on a free during the summer of 2020. This is only the beginning of the saga which could bring much more twists and turns in the forthcoming weeks.
When Bernes was interviewed about Fekir’s move to Liverpool during the 2018 World Cup, he responded “Well he didn’t sign because well… it is not over! This is not the end of the story.”
Here’s how Twitter reacted..
Nabil Fékir has rejected an opening contract extension offer from Lyon & made a counter-proposal which the Ligue 1 club viewed as unacceptable – full story https://t.co/0Bsn5TiUfj
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) April 6, 2019
Nabil Fékir’s unwanted agent Jean-Pierre Bernès with a strange quote: “We will know maybe the real circumstances that prevented Fékir’s move to Liverpool. The knee was a part of it, but not only that. He had passed a medical, done photos with the Reds shirt…” (L’Équipe)
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) April 6, 2019
Nabil Fekir’s ‘gentleman’s agreement’ that could take him closer to Liverpool https://t.co/KdqGqHzBfI pic.twitter.com/N21Iew3vBv
— Mirror Football (@MirrorFootball) April 2, 2019
Nabil Fekir and Tanguy Ndombele will be allowed to leave Lyon this summer. [L’Equipe]
We all know how close we were to signing Fekir in the summer – should we move again?
— Anfield Edition (@AnfieldEdition) April 2, 2019
Liverpool could make another move for Nabil Fekir this summer with Lyon ready to cash-in on their captain when the transfer window reopens, according to @MailSport https://t.co/9tyoIXymxI
— Anfield HQ (@AnfieldHQ) April 2, 2019
What’s next?
Liverpool will play FC Porto in the first leg of the Champions League Quarterfinals at Anfield on Tuesday, followed by the huge Premier League clash against Chelsea four days later.