Nabil Fekir and Liverpool – How a transfer of 52 million pounds has collapsed and what the future holds

This was one of the largest transfer sagas of the summer of 2018.

In a window that saw Liverpool win about £ 170 million on new recruits, beat the world record for a goalkeeper and win a shock deal for Fabinho, this is the contract that the Reds have not signed which left a lasting impression.

And that is why the name of Nabil Fekir will remain long in the memory of the supporters of the Reds.

Fekir even completed the media before Liverpool intervened dramatically on the transfer.

Almost a year ago, Liverpool was considering its options after the bankruptcy of the deal.

What was clear was that Fekir had been designated as another major target, with Liverpool having closely watched the 25-year-old during the season.

The striker scored 23 goals, including 18 in Ligue 1, during an impressive campaign. Jurgen Klopp considered him the ideal candidate to add creativity to the Liverpool midfielder.

It was a case that seemed to be in sight for a while. The initial interest was reported as early as 2015, before rumors increased in April and May 2018.

Former Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier was credited for negotiating an agreement. Sadio Mane spoke publicly about playing alongside Fekir and even the player's father commented on a potential transfer.

And while May was turning towards June, Liverpool was making his move. All the roads seemed to lead to Anfield for Fekir.

But in the space of a few days, this interest evaporated and any agreement was broken.

It started after the Reds took medical staff to Paris after a breakthrough in negotiations with the Fekir club in Lyon.

The offensive midfielder intended to settle at Anfield and agreed on personal conditions. On June 8, it seemed that Fekir would become Liverpool's last recruit.

But worries began to grow after the player's medical exams, with Liverpool seeking a second opinion on an old knee problem.

Fekir had already suffered ligament injuries earlier in his career and the Reds were rightly afraid to pay such a large sum to a player who feared to suffer problems in the future.

At first, it seemed that Liverpool's fears had been appeased, but at the 11th hour, the Reds opposed an agreement and that's it.

The first Lyonnais issued an official statement, stating that the negotiations with Liverpool were over and that the Reds quickly indicated that they were no longer interested in the player.

So what happened next?

Initially, rumors continued to circulate that Liverpool would restore the deal before the end of the period. Some said the Reds were looking to renegotiate the deal.

Indeed, even the agent of Fekir hinted that the case was not completely dead.

However, all this turned out to be wrong and in addition, Klopp decided not to seek an alternative to Fekir.

And one year after the saga that captivated the imagination of fans around the world, Liverpool is apparently delighted with his midfield options.

After a slow start, Naby Keita began to prove herself as a creative spark from central posts.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has returned to form and Xherdan Shaqiri has proved his versatility.

Klopp could also count on Jordan Henderson from central positions, the role of captain changing after the installation of Fabinho at Anfield.

It seems that this summer, Liverpool will not try to come back for Fekir or to sign an alternative to the Frenchman.

Klopp is giving priority to other areas of the field, with the Reds' boss needing a new goalkeeper, left-back and forward at what should be a conservative summer compared to last year.

The name of Fekir continues to appear in links with Liverpool and other Premier League clubs – including Manchester City champions.

But it seems that Reds fans will wonder what could have been.

And the saga of Fekir transfers will be ranked alongside the other big failures in Liverpool history.