Nabil Fekir's Father Denies Jurgen Klopp Meeting, Plays Down Agreement Talk

Nabil Fekir's father has denied rumours his son is set to join Liverpool, saying the forward has never met with Reds boss Jurgen Klopp and his dream is still to play in the UEFA Champions League with Lyon. 

Mohamed Fekir spoke with Olympique-et-lyonnais.com (via Liverpool Echo) and was adamant the speculation is baseless:

"Nabil in Liverpool? That’s wrong.

"I hear there are arrangements, stuff like that—I was surprised.

"I can deny this information right now; it’s not true. Otherwise Nabil would have told me right away, we are very close.

"I can guarantee you that he never met him [Klopp]. His dream is to play in the Champions League with his boyhood club."

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Fekir has been linked with Liverpool of late, and Canal+ (h/t Aaron Flanagan at the Mirror) even claimed Klopp had already met with the player ahead of a move.

Both the Reds and Lyon have denied the ongoing speculation:

Fekir has been with Lyon his entire professional career and ranks among the club's most popular and pivotal players. He's played a key role in the 2017-18 campaign, helping lead Les Gones to second place in the Ligue 1 standings with two matches left to play.

The 24-year-old is one of the team's top scorers despite spending the bulk of the season as an attacking midfielder. He's been used in a variety of roles, highlighting his versatility.

Fekir has quick feet and pops up in dangerous places:

His fluent playing style, emphasis on movement and technical ability would make him a dream fit in Klopp's high-octane attack.

Sadio Mane, who has starred in the system this year, didn't hide his admiration in a recent interview with SFR Sport (h/t James Pearce of the Liverpool Echo): "He is a top player, we would be happy seeing him with us. If he comes he'll do great things with us. Yes, it will be like fire if he comes."

Fekir's future may well come down to how the next 10 days shake out. Lyon will play Strasbourg and Nice in Ligue 1, with a Champions League ticket on the line.

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If Les Gones qualify for Europe's top club competition, it's hard to see Fekir leave his boyhood club. Lyon will also be armed with plenty of additional cash, putting them in an excellent negotiating position.

If they fall short, Fekir could decide it's time to take the next step in his career.