Fekir had passed medical and posed in Liverpool shirt, admits agent

ByEurosport

Updated 08/04/2019 at 10:16 GMT

The agent of Nabil Fekir has revealed how close the player came to joining Liverpool from Lyon last summer - to the point that he had posed in official kit following his medical.

Liverpool have lost just one Premier League game so far this season, and yet they could miss out on a first domestic title in 29 years should Manchester City overcome them in their titanic battle that is set to go down to the wire.

But there have been questions over whether Jurgen Klopp's side has lacked a playmaker on occasions - and Fekir was earmarked as a natural replacement for Philippe Coutinho following his £142million move to Barcelona.

Jurgen Klopp was close to signing Fekir last summer

Image credit: PA Sport

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Lyon had initially agreed to a £53m fee, which led to the France international carrying out his medical - but the Reds then tried to re-negotiate the structure of the deal owing to a knee problem.

His agent Jean-Pierre Bernes has revealed that while the two clubs haggled over the finer details, official club interviews, a medical and walk-out photos were conducted. He told L'Equipe:

"It is not about staying here. And we will know maybe the real circumstances that prevented Fekir's move to Liverpool.

The knee was a part of it, but not only that. He had passed a medical, done photos with the Reds shirt.

Fekir has scored 12 goals this season for Lyon

Image credit: Getty Images

Liverpool eventually pulled the plug - but interest in the attacking midfielder could be reignited in the summer with Bernes adding that the Ligue 1 club finds Fekir's terms for a contract extension as "not approvable".

But it would have to be at the right price, after Jurgen Klopp played down the potential for a spending spree.

The German said last month: "I don't think this is a team at the moment where we have to spend the big money.

"The best way to do it is to bring together a group of players, try to develop them together and then stay together for a while."

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