Lyon Claim “False Information” Exists Concerning Nabil Fekir Transfer

The race to secure Nabil Fekir from Lyon before the French national team head to Russia is still being run but Liverpool are confident of completing the transfer today, with Michael Edwards in Paris hoping to finish the deal and a medical booked at France’s Clairefontaine training facility.

But Lyon’s president seems to have painted a very different picture of what’s going on with Liverpool and Fekir. Jean-Michal Aulas released a statement that went out on Lyon’s Twitter account claiming there was “false information,” leading many to believe that he might have been preparing to go full hardball with negotiations.

The official statement reads:

“The information on the transfer of Nabil Fekir is false. Olympique Lyonnais categorically denies the false information disseminated by many media about the transfer of Nabil Fekir to Liverpool.

“In this period of transfers where the slightest rumour is often presented as a reality, Olympique Lyonnais reminds that only the information disseminated by the club on its website is authentic.”

But David Maddock of The Mirror describes the statement as one aimed at shareholders of Lyon and not a reason to believe Liverpool are about to lose out on Jürgen Klopp’s number one transfer target.

Lyon are a publicly listed company and the statement is being interpreted as a signal to the club’s shareholders that they should not rely on the various reports of the Fekir fee they are reading in the news, particularly in France.

“Lyon must make any announcement of significant business to stock exchange first,” writes Maddock. “Lyon are obliged as publicly listed company to ensure no false information is disseminated until contracts are signed, especially relating to potential fees.”

Nabil Fekir to Liverpool isn’t officially official yet, but he is still expected to be announced by Liverpool as a full-on Red before the day is done in England.