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Fekir set for Liverpool transfer move as Lyon find replacement

By David Gate

CARSON, CA - JULY 30: Hatem Ben Arfa #21 of Paris Saint-Germain is pursued by Robert Huth #6 of Leicester City during the 2016 International Champions Cup at StubHub Center on July 30, 2016 in Carson, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
CARSON, CA - JULY 30: Hatem Ben Arfa #21 of Paris Saint-Germain is pursued by Robert Huth #6 of Leicester City during the 2016 International Champions Cup at StubHub Center on July 30, 2016 in Carson, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) /
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Liverpool have been given a huge boost in their pursuit of Nabi Fekir after his club Lyon line up his replacement, PSG winger Hatem Ben Arfa.

There are various stages of a transfer saga. We are now at the ‘[CLUB X] have lined [PLAYER Y] to replace [PLAYER Z}’ part of the Nabil Fekir transfer rumor cycle. According to reports, his current club Olympique Lyonnais have lined up a move for Paris Saint Germain forward Hatem Ben Arfa.

That moves looks remarkably like Lyon finding a player that will take the role of their in demand captain Fekir. PSG playmaker Ben Arfa is not needed by the wealthy Ligue 1 club and they are willing to let him go to a division rival.

Ben Arfa has been at PSG for two seasons but only made nine starts in his first year before not seeing the field at all in the 2017/18 season.

His contract will run out at the end of June and Lyon are pressing hard to have Ben Arfa in place before they agree a deal with Liverpool for the transfer of Nabil Fekir. That will soften the blow to the team and be a very prudent financial move for the French side.

Liverpool are battling it out with Chelsea for the signing of Fekir and are hoping to get a deal done before the player heads to Russia with France for the FIFA 2018 World Cup later this month.

Next: 5 Reasons Fekir Will Choose Liverpool Over Chelsea

Hopefully Ben Arfa is the domino that needs to fall to allow the Fekir move to Anfield. Then Liverpool can turn full attention to signing a new goalkeeper. Alisson Becker of AS Roma and Jan Oblak of Atletico Madrid are the prime candidates to usurp Loris Karius as the Liverpool number one next season.