Nabil Fekir has again spoken of his frustration at seeing a move to Liverpool collapse and says it had nothing to do with a failed medical. The France international is currently playing his football with Real Betis, but had things been different he could have been lining up for the Reds.
Liverpool came close to signing the France international in the summer of 2018 when he was with Lyon, but the move collapsed at the very last minute.
A fee of £53million had been agreed between the two clubs, but all of a sudden the deal was off, amid claims the 26-year-old failed a medical because of a knee injury.
Related: Fekir On Bayern’s Radar
Despite this, Fekir still went to the World Cup that summer and was part of France squad that went on to win the tournament.
The player moved to La Liga side Betis in the summer, but has brought up the failed move to Liverpool during this international break, and says it had nothing to do with his knee. “There was an incredible amount of lies told about it. Everything that has been said about my family in particular. It hurts them, as it hurt me,” he said.
“You want the truth? Even I do not know it, I assure you. I did my medical examination and, behind, they decided not to sign me. “At one point, they wanted me to believe it was the knee. But it was an excuse and medical tests passed at Clairefontaine were very clear.”
Fekir penned a four-year deal with Betis in the summer for what could turn out to be a bargain £17.75million fee and will be hoping his career can now kick on.
His former agent Jean-Pierre Bernes has also suggested the deal collapsed as an unknown party got involved late in the talks and wanted to restart negotiations, something Liverpool immediately ruled out and pulled the plug.
