Liverpool transfer news: Nabil Fekir reveals the 'truth' behind his failed Reds transfer
Former Lyon midfielder denies that concerns over his knee and the involvement of his family affected transfer
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Your support makes all the difference.France international Nabil Fekir has said that his failed move to Liverpool last summer has been the subject of “lots of lies”.
This year’s Champions League winners reportedly pulled out of a deal for Fekir at the last minute due to concerns over the midfielder’s knee and a long-term injury, but the 26-year-old has insisted that he was completely healthy at the time.
Speaking to French publication L’Equipe, Fekir said: “What was said is not the truth.
“My knee is good – I had a quick medical check at Clairefontaine [the France national team’s training base], my knee wasn’t even mentioned.”
At the time of the potential move to Liverpool, Fekir was at Ligue 1 club Lyon, but the 2018 World Cup winner secured a transfer to Real Betis this summer. The midfielder cost the La Liga side just shy of €20 million, whereas a move to Liverpool was expected to involve a fee of €59m last year.
“The worst thing is the idea that people could suggest that it’s because of my family that the transfer didn’t happen,” Fekir added, in response to rumours that they played a role in the failed move last summer.
“It’s a lie […] Lots of lies were told and they affected me, especially those told about my family.
“It hurt them and me, especially when you know that what’s being told is false.”
The 26-year-old also said that he was still unaware as to why the transfer to Liverpool did not work out.
“You want the truth? Even I don’t know, I promise you!
“I did my medical and then [Liverpool] decided not to sign me,” he said.
“At some point they wanted to have me believe it was because of my knee, but an excuse needed to be found.”
Fekir’s former agent Jean-Pierres Bernes has disputed the player’s claims, however.
Bernes, whose working relationship with Fekir ended in April, told L’Equipe: “He has to stop this show and stop taking people for fools.
“Everyone knows what happened. The transfer to Liverpool turned around for two reasons. The first is his knee, even though the English club were willing to make an effort on this.
“The second is the appearance of a foreign pseudo-representative, who asked for the negotiations to be resumed from the beginning at the moment of signing.
“Between this episode and the medical visit, Liverpool’s leaders decided to abandon the transfer.”
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