Nabil Fekir
According to Football London, Lyon midfielder Nabil Fekir has hinted at a move to the Premier League after his £53million move to join Liverpool in the summer fell through. The 25-year-old was ever so close to completing a move to Anfield but Liverpool withdrew their interest in the Frenchman due to a failed medical (h/t Football London).
Fekir has less than two years remaining on his current contract which could attract further interest from the European elite in January.
The 25-year-old starred for Lyon in the Ligue 1 last season, registering 18 goals and 8 assists. In other words, he was Lyon’s assist king, averaging 2 key passes per game.
Jurgen Klopp was on a spending spree this summer and did not hesitate to break the bank to sign the likes of Alisson Becker, Naby Keita, Fabinho and Xherdan Shaqiri. To be honest, all his new signings, barring Fabinho, have hit the ground running in the ongoing season. Keita has played an important role in the midfield for the Reds, forcing Jordan Henderson to start from the bench.
Liverpool’s lethal forwards Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane have already started working wonders. Once again, the trio has been in tremendous form for Liverpool, with Sadio Mane leading the goalscoring list. Mohamed Salah has already scored a couple and has looked menacing as well. Roberto Firmino, who failed to score in the first three games, got his name on the scoresheet in the 2-1 win over Leicester City.
As expected, Liverpool have arguably played the most attractive brand of football in the Premier League, scoring nine goals from their first four games. As it seems, Jurgen Klopp has all the bases covered in terms of squad depth and the manager has enough quality to excel at all fronts.
Hence, reviving their interest in Fekir does not make a lot of sense for the Merseysiders.
Jurgen Klopp’s high-intensity football is mesmerizing to watch. It involves a lot of tireless running which subsequently takes a lot out of the players. It does not allow the players to conserve their energy and switch off in patches.
As a result, it demands high levels of energy and fitness on the pitch. Given the long and hectic schedule of the Premier League – coupled with the domestic and continental cup competitions – it is definitely not easy for the players to maintain the same level of fitness for the entire season.
To put things into perspective, Nabil Fekir does not have a good fitness record. Not denying his calibre and pedigree as an attacking midfielder and a playmaker but the Frenchman’s career has suffered due to to a series of knee injuries that began with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in 2015.
Although he managed to get back to action within seven months, his knee continues to trouble him and he underwent further reconstructive surgeries in the following years.
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That said, signing an injury-prone player is not the best move for Liverpool – especially considering Klopp’s style of play. Thus, Liverpool should be looking at other potential options to add depth to their squad in January.