Klopp breaks Fekir silence with 68-word clarification

Matt Stead

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has issued his first response on the Nabil Fekir situation.

Fekir seemed destined to join Liverpool ahead of the World Cup, with the Reds having agreed a £53m fee with Lyon to sign the playmaker.

But the move collapsed when Liverpool asked for a second opinion on the player’s medical, which angered Lyon.

Jean-Michel Aulas, the French club’s president, then announced that negotiations were over, with Fekir in Russia for the World Cup.

Despite claims that there was a ‘very high chance’ Fekir would still move to Anfield, the player remains with Lyon, and that looks unlikely to change.

Klopp was asked about the situation by Sky Sports, and offered his first public thoughts.

‘So what happened to Fekir? Is that completely gone as well?’ was the question. Then came the response.

“Nothing really to say about that. I said already something about it around a pre-season game, I don’t know exactly which one. It’s probably… done. But there’s two weeks left.

“If nothing happens with our boys, then I’m happy. It’s fine. So we can go. But if something happens, I think you always have to make sure that you can react. If not now, the next year, whatever.”