According to Express, Manchester City are ready to rival Liverpool in the pursuit of Nabil Fekir. The Olympique Lyon playmaker has been linked with a move to the Premier League for a long time now, and it is believed that both the English giants are still in the running to acquire his services this summer. The report claims that Lyon are ready to cash in on Fekir and hope that the duel between Manchester City and Liverpool will escalate his price.
Nabil Fekir’s success at Lyon
Fekir has been one of the most consistent performers in Ligue 1 for the past four-five seasons. The Frenchman has made nearly 200 appearances for Los Gones in all competition, during which he has been involved in a whopping 115 goals.
And the 25-year-old maintained his consistency this past season, scoring nine goals and providing seven assists in 29 league games. His service in the final third was crucial to Lyon’s third-place finish in the league, with the playmaker ending the campaign as the club’s joint third most productive player.
What can Fekir offer to the table?
Fekir is primarily known for his remarkable dribbling prowess. The Frenchman has quick feet, which allows him to slip past defenders at ease. But, what makes such an excellent ball-carrier is his ability to shield the ball.
Much like Eden Hazard, Fekir uses his physicality quite well and uses his back to protect the ball at his feet. As a result, he is hard to be shrugged off the ball, which only forces the opposition to put the extra cynosure in marking the Frenchman.
Aside from that, Fekir is proficient in set-pieces, especially from direct free-kicks. He can also shift into a wider position and whip in crosses into the box – making him a tactically astute playmaker, who can be a precious commodity for any team in the world.
Should Man City make a move for Fekir?
Fekir is undoubtedly a viable target for Manchester City. The Sky Blues are bracing themselves for a summer raid from Bayern Munich for star player Leroy Sane. And in the event of the German’s potential departure from the club, Fekir appears as an ideal replacement.
However, one could argue that Pep Guardiola should shift his attention to younger targets as he is unlikely to provide Fekir with proper game-time, should the likes of Kevin de Bruyne and Bernardo Silva remain fit. Hence, someone like Joao Felix could arguably be a better option for the Premier League giants as they aim to continue their dominance in English football next season.
