Nabil Fekir (AM/ST) Lyon

[Limiescouse]

As a side note the not signing an alternative is something we have seen from Klopp on and on. I know we got Shaqiri but no doubt we would of signed him in any case regardless of the Fekir deal. Klopp goes for who he wants and is prepared to wait. He doesn't do the whole I will sign the backup option like most managers. Fair play.

The weight of evidence that the exact opposite is true far outweighs what you suggest is true. VvD is the only case that supports your claim. We have several players at the club who were merely an option.

I would say yes so we can agree to disagree. truth be told I wasn't privy to the medical report so I am not armed with all the facts. I know that if we had signed him we would look a stronger squad than we are.

What about the case where we spent 60 million and then had him for 2 games before losing him for a year?


As tot he overall point, I think I agree with @ILLOK. One of the advantages of Fekir was his ability to play the number 9 in a comparable style to Bobby. It would not surprise me at all to see Shaqiri get some time in that role. That does still leave us relying quite heavily on Mane and Salah for the wide positions, or at least wide players who compliment a false 9 so well (pacy and very aggressive out to in runners off the ball).

 

[Nikola]

Do we really need Fekir?

Whilst it was said that Shaqiri wasn't a Fekir replacement he looks to be able to operate in a very similar way on the evidence of what we've seen so far. Sturridge, too, isn't a million miles off.

To my mind it makes little sense to gamble on a player like this given the question marks over his knee and what I've mentioned above. It'd make more sense to me to sign a quick, versatile forward (Pulisic or someone better).

Not speaking specifically about Fekir because of his knee condition but if you rephrased that question to include "a player like him, only without debilitating fitness issues", my answer would be a resounding yes. Simply, if Liverpool are to challenge for trophies, they need to match and exceed the best and that is City at this moment (imagine that, the squad that walked to the title last season just added Mendy and Mahrez), even though Man United and Chelsea have very strong squads.

I hope that this Liverpool team doesn't give any ammunition to those "I told you we had to buy Fekir, he would have been great against a parked bus" comments but that is inevitable over the course of a whole season. It would have been great to add another attacking player who is well versed in pressing game and can create something out of nothing against the sides that will defend deep against Liverpool (not to mention probably freeing up a spot for someone like Solanke to go out on loan and play a whole season of football) but it is what it is and I can only hope it won't hurt Liverpool.

 

[Mascot88]

That does still leave us relying quite heavily on Mane and Salah for the wide positions, or at least wide players who compliment a false 9 so well (pacy and very aggressive out to in runners off the ball).

If the West Ham game is a barometer of these things, Klopp will play Keita there.

 

[Quagmire81]

If the West Ham game is a barometer of these things, Klopp will play Keita there.

Shaqiri is a good shout too.

 

[SithBaare]

Klopp's proven that he can get a squad stronger even after a player like Coutinho had left. Don't think Fekir not joining liverpool is making a lesser impact.

That said , do need a player for the shots outside the box. Hopefully Shaqiri and TAA step up to provide that option

 

[Maria]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1032647536467685377

Aww, I really feel sorry for Fekir. It must have been such a huge blow for him not to get his dream move to Liverpool. Is there any chance we can try and get him in the January transfer window? Because, in my view, he is still playing well for Lyon and he hasn't had any major injury so far.
Sometimes, the club have to take risks. Look at Sturridge, he spent the best part of 2 seasons being injured.

 

[Limiescouse]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1032647536467685377

Aww, I really feel sorry for Fekir. It must have been such a huge blow for him not to get his dream move to Liverpool. Is there any chance we can try and get him in the January transfer window? Because, in my view, he is still playing well for Lyon and he hasn't had any major injury so far.
Sometimes, the club have to take risks. Look at Sturtidge, he spent the best part of 2 seasons being injured.

He hasn't played a game for Lyon this season. But even had he played 100% of their minutes, 2 games is nothing compared to the prognosis we came to as a result of the medical.

 

[Zinedine Biscan]

Can't honestly say I've lost a minute's sleep over not signing Fekir. He was keen to come which is always nice, but being truthful I did wonder whether his hype was slightly overstating his actual ability, and he'd have provided depth rather than really elevating us above where we are now (imo). And that's before you even get to the issue of his knee. I got the feeling from the debates raging in their respective threads this summer I'm in the minority on this, but I'd have preferred - and would still prefer - us to sign Pulisic.

 

[redfanman]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1032647536467685377

Aww, I really feel sorry for Fekir. It must have been such a huge blow for him not to get his dream move to Liverpool. Is there any chance we can try and get him in the January transfer window? Because, in my view, he is still playing well for Lyon and he hasn't had any major injury so far.
Sometimes, the club have to take risks. Look at Sturtidge, he spent the best part of 2 seasons being injured.

Do you think in hindsight the club would have signed studge if they knew he was going to miss so many games?

 

[LFC_Jeffrey7]

Do you think in hindsight the club would have signed studge if they knew he was going to miss so many games?

Easy yes.

SAS was lit and his cost was minimal.

In hindsight they should have got better player to back him up though.

 

[lfc.eddie]

Do you think in hindsight the club would have signed studge if they knew he was going to miss so many games?

We sort of know that is going to be the case which helped drive his price down as well. At that point he was still very young and already very prolific goal scorer.

 

[Maria]

Do you think in hindsight the club would have signed studge if they knew he was going to miss so many games?

I don't know tbh, every player a club buys, there is an element of risk, as soon as they go on the pitch, something can happen. I didn't think AOC was going to be out a year when he hurt is knee in the Semi-Final of Champions League or Salah shoulder was going to be injured in the final. Sometimes, it can be luck. Some players are more resliant than others. I just feel it is a shame for him (and us) that he could not come. We could have had him on the bench for abit and play as an impact sub or something.

 

[Caradoc]

I genuinely feel for the lad. Nothing that he has done in this whole sorry saga is down to him (as far as I am aware). I think it also possibly shows a downside to Klopp’s incredible sales technique of selling the club and his project to the player only for it to all fall apart irreversibly (it would seem) when everything was pretty much in place.

It is testament to the player himself that he still appears to want to come to Anfield. The disappointment must have been immense at the time. If (note the word ‘IF’) it is true that Liverpool filmed the lad in full kit and mock signing before they were fully satisfied with the outcome of the medical than that in my opinion was irresponsible.

(Finally, I’m not going to allow myself to be dragged into an argument here and it is very clear what I am saying and I am not saying.)

 

[ubermick]

I don't know tbh, every player a club buys, there is an element of risk, as soon as they go on the pitch, something can happen. I didn't think AOC was going to be out a year when he hurt is knee in the Semi-Final of Champions League or Salah shoulder was going to be injured in the final. Sometimes, it can be luck. Some players are more resliant than others. I just feel it is a shame for him (and us) that he could not come. We could have had him on the bench for abit and play as an impact sub or something.

In this case though, it was beyond that. He had his medical, and his reports showed that the knee operation he had was done to the standards the club and it's insurers would allow. There's always a risk that an injury could reoccur, but with Fekir's knee it seems that it's not a case of if, but when.

 

[RedSeven]

In this case though, it was beyond that. He had his medical, and his reports showed that the knee operation he had was done to the standards the club and it's insurers would allow. There's always a risk that an injury could reoccur, but with Fekir's knee it seems that it's not a case of if, but when.

others also looked at him and decided not to go there so i would say it was beyond a reasonable risk

 

[Caradoc]

I think we need to be mindful of the particular demands of the EPL - the physicality, the weather conditions, the pitches (i.e. underfoot stability and the risk of slipping in winter), the depth of quality of the sides in the EPL, the number and frequency of fixtures - and then on top of this Klopp’s physically demanding style of play and the training regimes that prepare players to be able to play that way on matchday. There really is no respite.

It is one thing to have a player on your books who gets a serious knee injury. The club is responsible for that player, his welfare, his rehabilitation and reintigration into the squad and have pretty much full control of how that process is handled from start to finish. It is another thing altogether to buy a player for £10s of millions who already has this type of injury, where you have had no input or control over the same process and there are genuine concerns over the outcome of that process.

As I said earlier, in view of the serious nature of Fekir’s knee injury which was common knowledge from the outset, this should have been a major consideration for LFC throughout the proposed transfer process and so all thoughts of the actual signing and unveiling should have been placed on the back burner until everything else was fully checked out and in place. Hopefully they won’t make the same misjudgement in future for the player’s sake if nothing else.

 

[lfc.eddie]

We went for him, we found something we don't like, we didn't get him, he's upset. Too bad. Not like he's not going to get paid handsomely by his former club, in fact they've just offered him a big contract. We moved on, he should too.

 

[Caradoc]

We went for him, we found something we don't like, we didn't get him, he's upset. Too bad. Not like he's not going to get paid handsomely by his former club, in fact they've just offered him a big contract. We moved on, he should too.

You’re a hard man eddie ...... !

 

[Maria]

In this case though, it was beyond that. He had his medical, and his reports showed that the knee operation he had was done to the standards the club and it's insurers would allow. There's always a risk that an injury could reoccur, but with Fekir's knee it seems that it's not a case of if, but when.

Okay, fair enough, but I can't help feeling sad for him.

We went for him, we found something we don't like, we didn't get him, he's upset. Too bad. Not like he's not going to get paid handsomely by his former club, in fact they've just offered him a big contract. We moved on, he should too.

Eddie you set your heart on something, you are gutted when it doesn't happen. It takes time to move on. They are human beings too, not robots. Money doesn't always buy happiness.

 

[lfc.eddie]

Eddie you set your heart on something, you are gutted when it doesn't happen. It takes time to move on. They are human beings too, not robots. Money doesn't always buy happiness.

I am not looking at the player's point of view, I am looking at it at the club perspective. It didn't work out, we move on. Human or not, that's the way this game works. He is not our player, nor have I ever been a fan of his (unlike Messi which I would be gutted if we came so close and didn't go through). So I can't say I sympathise with him. That's how I see it.

 

[Caradoc]

Okay, fair enough, but I can't help feeling sad for him.



Eddie you set your heart on something, you are gutted when it doesn't happen. It takes time to move on. They are human beings too, not robots. Money doesn't always buy happiness.

In fairness to eddie his views probably reflect those of Klopp who has said himself that players should keep their footballing disappointments in perspective.

That said, as I mentioned in my previous post, eddie is a very hard man whereas you and I are nice and considerate.

 

[redfanman]

We sort of know that is going to be the case which helped drive his price down as well. At that point he was still very young and already very prolific goal scorer.

I highly doubt the club expected him to miss so many games.

 

[Maria]

I am not looking at the player's point of view, I am looking at it at the club perspective. It didn't work out, we move on. Human or not, that's the way this game works. He is not our player, nor have I ever been a fan of his (unlike Messi which I would be gutted if we came so close and didn't go through). So I can't say I sympathise with him. That's how I see it.

Fair enough. I am just glad I am not a football manager or Football club owner, football is a ruthless sport sometimes.

 

[Maria]

In fairness to eddie his views probably reflect those of Klopp who has said himself that players should keep their footballing disappointments in perspective.

That said, as I mentioned in my previous post, eddie is a very hard man whereas you and I are nice and considerate.

Believe it or not, he does have a softer side, it just takes abit longer to find that bit, the heart is a complex organ.

 

[lfc.eddie]

That said, as I mentioned in my previous post, eddie is a very hard man whereas you and I are nice and considerate.

Me a hardman? Nah.... never have been. Just someone getting a bit grumpier as he aged towards mid-century.

 

[GaryBarlow99]

Yeah, it's not happening.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6096455/Nabil-Fekir-puts-collapsed-Liverpool-Lyon-return.html

 

[macca1970]

We went for him, we found something we don't like, we didn't get him, he's upset. Too bad. Not like he's not going to get paid handsomely by his former club, in fact they've just offered him a big contract. We moved on, he should too.

Agree with this.

A £50m+ transfer agreed, along with a lucrative 5 year contract, but then complications with the medical. It's prudent as a club to then reconsider - either pull out totally or try to renegotiate with the new info to hand. I'd imagine we tried the latter option, but Lyon said no, which is their prerogative.

So can understand the disapointment from Fekir, but move on he should.

 

[The Elusive 19th]

A transfer coming so close and end up not happening is part of the game and happens all the time. We ourself have gone through this numerous times and almost all of those time us fans and our club were the one left in disappointment. For once, us fans have moved on faster and the player still is gutted. But as I said, this happens all the time and I think he will sign the contract and move on.

PS - Personally I think if he gets to the last year of his contract, we can give him a shot.

 

[SithBaare]

A transfer coming so close and end up not happening is part of the game and happens all the time. We ourself have gone through this numerous times and almost all of those time us fans and our club were the one left in disappointment. For once, us fans have moved on faster and the player still is gutted. But as I said, this happens all the time and I think he will sign the contract and move on.

PS - Personally I think if he gets to the last year of his contract, we can give him a shot.

I don't think so. The matter is not about the price. Liverpool have shown now that they are willing to even pay more. It's got more to do with the players health.

We aren't going back to him

 

[The Elusive 19th]

I don't think so. The matter is not about the price. Liverpool have shown now that they are willing to even pay more. It's got more to do with the players health.

We aren't going back to him

We aren't going back to him for the price Lyon is going to quote. But he costs us only 15-20m, you think we still won't give a shot?