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Nabil Fekir: Lyon tweet about Liverpool, Chelsea target as transfer window shuts
NABIL FEKIR will NOT be heading to the Premier League with Liverpool or Chelsea this summer - and Lyon have wasted no time in marking keeping hold of their captain.
Nabil Fekir scores sensational goal for Lyon
Fekir was the name on everyone’s lips this summer with the playmaker forging a reputation as one of Ligue 1’s top talents.
Jurgen Klopp wanted to add the 25-year-old to his squad of beaten Champions League finalists to provide another dimension to his attack.
And Fekir would have been a Liverpool player in June had it not been for a long-standing knee problem seeing a deal shelved.
Chelsea emerged as a potential destination for Fekir late on as Stamford Bridge chiefs sought to sign recruits suited to Maurizio Sarri’s style of play.
But Lyon chief Jean-Michel Aulas dug his heels in by demanding a whopping £72m (€80m) to sanction a switch.
The Premier League transfer window slammed shut at 5pm meaning neither Liverpool nor Chelsea will be getting their hands on Fekir.
Lyon made the most of their opportunity to celebrate retaining his services by specifically singling him out in a tweet as it closed.
"Captain @NabilFekir warmed up with his team-mates this morning before continuing his individualised training!" they wrote, in a tweet posted at 4.59pm.
The tweet included a video of Fekir with his Lyon colleagues at their Groupama OL Training Center.
Lyon and Chelsea went head-to-head earlier this week in a friendly at Stamford Bridge.
After the game, Olivier Giroud revealed he and Eden Hazard had spoken to Fekir about a move to west London.
"I spoke to him when we were together in the French national team, when his move to Liverpool fell through," said Giroud.
Ce matin, capitaine @NabilFekir s'est échauffé avec le groupe avant de continuer la séance de son côté ! ?????????????????? pic.twitter.com/g50WHZNJD3
— Olympique Lyonnais (@OL) August 9, 2018
"Then we discussed Chelsea, and I even think that Eden said a couple of words to him.
"We would obviously welcome him, he is a super player, but I don’t know if this is something that could happen as the window closes on Thursday."
Chelsea are unlikely to come across Fekir in Europe this season as Lyon will be competing in the Champions League, initially at least.
However, Liverpool might meet their target in the continent’s elite club tournament, with the group stage starting next month.
Liverpool summer transfer business
In
Fabinho (Monaco) Undisclosed
Naby Keita (RB Leipzig) Undisclosed
Xherdan Shaqiri (Stoke City) Undisclosed
Alisson Becker (AS Roma) Undisclosed
Out
Yan Dhanda (Swansea) Undisclosed
Ovie Ejaria (Rangers) Loan
Emre Can (Juventus) Free
Jon Flanagan (released)
Adam Bogdan (Hibernian) Loan
Harry Wilson (Derby) Loan
Paulo Alves (Wolves) Free
Danny Ward (Leicester) Undisclosed
Andy Firth (Barrow) Undisclosed
Ryan Kent (Rangers) Loan
Taiwo Awoniyi (Gent) Loan
Shamal George (Tranmere) Loan
Allan (Frankfurt) Loan
Ben Woodburn (Sheffield United) Loan
Chelsea summer transfer business
In
Jorginho (Napoli) Undisclosed
Robert Green Free
Mateo Kovacic (Real Madrid) Loan
Kepa Arrizabalaga (Athletic Bilbao) Undisclosed
Out
Mitchell Beeney (released)
Wallace Oliveira (released)
Trevoh Chalobah (Ipswich) Loan
Nathan Baxter (Yeovil) Loan
Reece James (Wigan) Loan
Dujon Sterling (Coventry) Loan
Lewis Baker (Leeds) Loan
Jake Clarke-Salter (Vitesse) Loan
Danilo Pantic (Partizan) Loan
Jonathan Panzo (Monaco) Undisclosed
Eduardo (Vitesse) Loan
Kenedy (Newcastle) Loan
Jhoao Rodriguez (Tenerife) Loan
Jamal Blackman (Leeds) Loan
Todd Kane (Hull) Loan
Mason Mount (Derby) Loan
Jeremie Boga (Sassuolo) Undisclosed
Mario Pasalic (Atalanta) Loan
Nathan (Atletico Mineiro) Loan
Jacob Maddox (Cheltenham Town) Loan
Victorien Angban (Metz) Loan
Kasey Palmer (Blackburn) Loan
Kyle Scott (Telstar) Loan
Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid) Undisclosed