We’ll be honest, we thought all this talk of Nabil Fekir’s move to Liverpool was dead
We were wrong. Very wrong. Buckle in Liverpool fans… here we go again.
Fekir was said to be close to finalising his move to Anfield before he jetted off to the World Cup with France the other week. Then it was off. Then back on. And then, thanks to a statement from Lyon, off for good… or so we thought.
Jean-Pierre Bernes, the player’s agent, has now told French TV that the move could still happen this summer.
Asked why his client hadn’t completed the move to Liverpool on LCI on Monday evening, Bernes replied: “He didn’t sign because um… it is not over! This is not the end of the story.”
Nabil Fékir's agent Jean-Pierre Bernes tonight on French TV on why his client didn't sign for Liverpool: "Um he didn't sign because um… it is not over! This is not the end of the story."
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) June 18, 2018
Liverpool were thought to be close to confirming a deal for Fekir, with pictures of him wearing the club’s shirt leaked on social media. Personal terms over a five-year deal had reportedly been agreed, only for the deal to collapse as Liverpool sought a second opinion after his medical – conducted in Paris – raised concerns. This delay seemingly prompted Lyon to issue the statement saying the deal was off.
Fekir’s move to Liverpool is unlikely to be resurrected before his return from the World Cup. He appeared from the bench in France’s opening game of the tournament against Australia in Kazan on Saturday, which Les Bleus won 2-1.
France took the lead through Antoine Griezmann’s penalty, the first to be awarded at a World Cup with the help of VAR. Although Australia soon equalised through a penalty of their own from Aston Villa’s Mile Jedinak, Didier Deschamps’ side eventually scored a late winner courtesy of Paul Pogba in the game’s closing stages.
The French team are amongst the favourites to win the World Cup this summer and return to action against Peru on Thursday. Their final group game will be against Denmark.
