Nabil Fekir opens up on failed Liverpool move in the summer of 2018

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Real Betis midfielder Nabil Fekir has lifted the lid on his failed move to Liverpool in the summer of 2018, in an interview with French outlet L’Equipe.

Fekir was at Lyon at the time, when a knee injury was cited as the reason the Reds pulled out of signing him at the eleventh hour but he insists that wasn’t the case.

The 26-year-old said: “Lots of lies were told. What was said is not the truth. My knee is good – I had a quick medical check at Clairefontaine – my knee wasn’t even mentioned. The worst thing is the idea it’s because of my family the transfer didn’t happen. It’s a lie.

“You want the truth? Even I don’t know – I promise you! I did my medical and then [Liverpool] decided not to sign me. They wanted to have me believe it was because of my knee – an excuse needed to be found. There are no issues at all with my knee.”

TBR’s View – Liverpool still lack a playmaker like Fekir but have adjusted their gameplan accordingly

At times last season, some critics pointed out Liverpool’s lack of a creative playmaker. But Jurgen Klopp’s gameplan does not rely on that type of player, rather energetic pressing players to win the ball back.

In certain games, against deep-lying opponents, Liverpool could perhaps have done with a figure like Fekir. It was draws that cost them the Premier League, where having a variety of attacking options is so important.

But of course the Reds managed to clinch their sixth Champions League, so not signing Fekir didn’t cost them so much there.