Nabil Fekir has said he's been left confused over the failed 2018 transfer from Lyon to Liverpool. The 26-year-old insisted that he was in good shape at that time and any health concerns regarding his knee was one of "lots of lies" made up.
Fekir came close to signing to the Reds for a fee worth £53 million last year in June. He even recorded an interview with Liverpool TV before news of a recurring knee injury emerged.
Fekir joined Real Betis this past summer for less than half that fee (£22 million). In an interview, the player revealed that some matters have been fabricated, which contributed to the transfer's demise.
"Lots of lies were told and they affected me," Fekir revealed.
"What was said is not the truth. My knee is good. If my knee had been in such a bad state, would Aulas (Lyon chairman Jean-Michel) have made [a huge offer to keep me]?"
Fekir also talked about how it made him sad that his family was dragged into the issue, with reports claiming they were part of the reason why the move never happened.
The Frenchman went on to suggest that his former agent, Jean-Pierre Barnes, has contributed to the collapse of the deal, as per football reporter Jeremy Smith:
Fekir, asked if he means his ex-agent Bernes:
"Maybe. But like I said, it's fate. But it's not normal to be kept informed of negotiations. My family is discreet and it's not nice to try to split a family. It was a dark moment in my career." — Jeremy Smith (@jeremysmith98) September 9, 2019
Fekir did have a knee injury that led to him missing the entire 2015-2016 season, but that was four years ago. He has since recuperated and moved from strength to strength in his career, contributing to the victory of that won the France national team the World Cup last year under Didier Deschamps.
Liverpool missed out on Fekir, but they finished second in the Premier League and ran to the UEFA Champions League crown, prompting fans to conclude that the Reds had no regrets over the failed transfer.
Fekir was considered Philippe Coutinho's replacement, leaving the club to join Barcelona last year. When news of his departure hit the headlines, fans were shocked that Betis managed to pull off the deal for a modest fee.
Real Betis won their first game of the season against Leganes. As for Fekir, he hopes to continue their progress when the club resumes La Liga on Sunday.
