Nabil Fekir has opened up on his failed move to Liverpool last summer.
The France international was on the verge of a big-money switch to Anfield in 2018, with footage of the midfielder in Liverpool colours even being leaked as a big-money move from Lyon neared completion.
However, the move fell through at the last minute and Fekir would remain with the Ligue 1 side, with the reasoning behind the deal’s collapse remaining a mystery, with reports suggesting a knee problem was discovered during his medical.
Fekir, who subsequently moved to Spanish side Real Betis this summer, has opened up over the failed switch and says ‘lots of lies’ were told over his failed move to the Premier League.
“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’s what being told is false,” Fekir told L’Equipe.
“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. If my knee had been in such a bad state, would [Lyon chairman Jean-Michel] Aulas have made [an offer to keep me]?
“But the worst thing is the idea that people could suggest that it’s because of my family that the transfer didn’t happen. It’s a lie. But you have to live with it.
“You want the truth? Even I don’t know – I promise you! I did my medical and then [Liverpool] decided not to sign me. At some point they wanted to have me believe it was because of my knee – but an excuse needed to be found.
“The medical tests that I did at Clairefontaine were very clear – my knee is perfectly fine and I feel fine. There are no issues at all with my knee.”
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