Nabil Fekir has spoken out over his failed move to Liverpool last summer, claiming that reports over him struggling in a medical are false.
The 26-year-old World Cup winner has also suggested that he had no idea as to why his proposed transfer did not happen.
A report from Joe journalist Melissa Ruddy suggested that Fekir’s deal had collapsed after an underlying knee issue was found during an examination of the player, but the Frenchman has disputed this claim.
Speaking to L’Equipe, he said: “What has been told wasn’t the truth. The knee is alright.
“I had a medical at Clairefontaine and it went quickly. We didn’t even mention the knee. If my knee was in such a bad state, do you think Lyon would have offered me [a new contract]?
“I don’t even know the truth, I promise! I had my medical and then, they decided not to sign me.”
OPINION
The plot on this one continues to thicken. If you cast your mind back to last summer, it seemed as if Fekir was nailed on to become a Liverpool player, and the general consensus since then has been that it was an issue with the player’s fitness that prevented him from going any further in the deal. This latest comment from Fekir seems to cast some doubt over that version of events, however, and if the player is to be believed, then it was some other mysterious force that prevented him from signing. You get the feeling that he is being honest for his part, and that agents and club officials had a lot to do with derailing this one behind the scenes, but whatever the truth of the matter, it is unlikely that we will ever get a properly definitive solution to the riddle. As for Fekir, it is a shame he didn’t sign. Since moving to Real Betis this summer, he has been inspired, averaging 3.7 shots, 4.3 successful dribbles, and two key passes per game, as per Whoscored. That kind of creativity would have been a mouthwatering prospect alongside the Reds’ current roster of attacking superstars.
