It appears the Nabil Fekir saga can be put to bed, at least for now. With only a matter of days left in the transfer window, it seems Liverpool are closed for incoming business.
Fekir has been heavily linked with the Reds throughout the summer, even getting as close as a medical and PR photo shoots before a deal collapsed.
The fact that Liverpool were not linked with any further players of the Frenchman’s ilk throughout the rest of the summer window has kept rumors alive and well.
In attempting to make Fekir the first piece of business this off-season, Jurgen Klopp firmly laid his cards on the table. An attacking midfielder is a priority.
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It’s fairly obvious why Liverpool are in this market, having still not really replaced Philippe Coutinho. The Brazilian moved to Barcelona in January and the club have looked a creative player short ever since.
According to official website, Liverpoolfc.com, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s injury is now also set to keep him sidelined for almost the entire season. This further compounds the lack of options.
So why then have Liverpool failed to get a player in? Perhaps the recent examples of Virgil van Dijk and Naby Keita offer us a major clue. In both of these cases, Klopp persisted with lengthy deals and refused to compromise with alternatives.
After appearing close to a summer move last year, Van Dijk had to wait until January for the club to get the deal over the line. Similarly, the Reds courted Keita throughout the summer and eventually conceded in allowing the player to remain in Germany an additional year in order to secure his services.
It is abundantly clear that Klopp is a manager only willing to sign players that meet his very specific criteria. Once this player is identified, he is the only option. Either Liverpool sign that player or they go without until a deal can be completed.
In the case of Fekir, it seems that the club are no longer willing to complete a deal on the terms Lyon are demanding. Having surfaced some potential longer term fitness issues in the medical, it may be that Liverpool want a restructuring of the deal in order to protect themselves.
Although it appears that Lyon are not willing to compromise right now, things change quickly in football. Fekir has just two years left on his contract, so the window for a big payday for the French club is rapidly closing.
If Liverpool return to the table in January they hold even more of the cards. Fekir has made it clear his desire is to play at Anfield, and Lyon can’t afford to sell at a cut price next summer.
Klopp is likely content that his current squad has the capabilities to keep Liverpool competing for trophies until the new year. At that point, fans could finally then get the player they’ve been craving.