Nabil Fekir’s former agent claims there were two reasons why Liverpool dropped 2018 transfer deal

The former agent of Nabil Fekir has suggested the Real Betis midfielder isn’t being entirely truthful about why his proposed move to Liverpool fell through last summer.

Fekir came close to joining Liverpool from Lyon before the start of last season but the Merseysiders called off the deal because of a long-standing knee problem, it is believed.

Why did Fekir’s Liverpool move fall through? Five things to know…

• A failed medical was initially to blame for Fekir’s transfer to Liverpool collapsing last summer.
• But the player himself claims there is no problem with his knee and that wasn’t the reason.
• Fekir’s agent at the time has now suggested his former client’s knee was indeed an issue.
• The agent also believes a “foreign pseudo-representative” tried to re-negotiate Fekir’s terms at the last minute.
• Fekir has scored two goals in three La Liga games since joining Real Betis this summer.

This week, Fekir – who finally left Lyon for Betis in July – claimed stories suggesting he failed a medical were not true and there is no issue with his knee.

However, his agent at the time of the collapsed transfer, Jean-Pierre Bernes, insists the Frenchman’s knee was part of the reason a move to Liverpool didn’t happen – but it wasn’t the only explanation.

“He has to stop this show and stop taking people for fools. Everyone knows what happened,” Bernes told L’Equipe.

“The transfer to Liverpool has turned around for two reasons. The first is his knee, even though the English club’s leaders were willing to make an effort on this.

“The second is the appearance of a foreign pseudo-representative who asked for the negotiations to be resumed from the beginning at the moment of signing.

“Between this episode and the medical visit, Liverpool’s leaders decided to abandon the case.”

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Fekir: I promise I don’t know the truth

Bernes was responding to comments made by Fekir earlier this week. The France international still claims to not know the truth about why his Liverpool move fell through.

“You want the truth? Even I don’t know, I promise you! I did my medical and then [Liverpool] decided not to sign me,” Fekir said.

“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.”

The 26-year-old went on to reveal he no longer speaks to Bernes, saying: “If you don’t have anything good to say about someone, it’s best to stay quiet. Otherwise I’ll say things I’ll regret.

“That’s not how I was brought up. He [Bernes] knows where he stands. We have no contact today and I don’t want any.”