Liverpool have been served with a further blow in their pursuit of Nabil Fekir and Lyon announced they intend to celebrate their captain’s World Cup success at the start of next season.
Fekir was poised to join Liverpool before the 2018 World Cup but a deal sensationally collapsed after it emerged Jurgen Klopp’s side tried to renegotiate the terms following his medical results.
Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas terminated talks with Liverpool as a result and announced Fekir would instead remain at the club for next season.
It emerged midway through the 2018 World Cup that Aulas had changed his mind as a request of the player and would be willing to rekindle talks with Liverpool.
However, that does not appear to be the case anymore as Lyon plan to celebrate Fekir’s World Cup win on the same day Liverpool start their Premier League season.
Fekir was part of the France squad that lifted the World Cup in Russia and there will be a presentation before their opening league game against Amiens to parade his triumph.
The 25-year-old featured in six of France’s seven matches at the 2018 World Cup, but all of those appearances came from the bench.
Fekir enjoyed a stunning campaign for Lyon last season, ending the campaign with 18 goals and eight assists in 30 league appearances.
Not only that, but only Florian Thauvin (13) won the WhoScored Man of the Match award more times than Fekir (12).
