Ex-coach reveals Alisson deal was NOT possible without Nabil Fekir transfer collapse

Nabil Fekir’s failed transfer in 2018 is still a much-discussed topic, but the reality is it was a lot more seismic than any of us may have realised.

Fekir was a top target for Liverpool in the summer of 2018. A deal worth £52.8 million had been agreed with Lyon, a medical was booked and seemingly club media completed as well.

But the transfer ultimately broke down. Sources initially cited a knee issue, but in 2021, Fekir revealed “it was the agent responsible for the deal not going through.”

At the time it came as a huge disappointment, but in hindsight, we can say it was the best thing to happen to the club as the recently departed head of goalkeeping John Achterberg attested.

Speaking to The Football Historian Podcast, Achterberg, now working with Steven Gerrard in Saudi Arabia, revealed how Fekir’s transfer collapse enabled Liverpool to splash the cash on Alisson.

“I would’ve have had no problem to [have] started with Danny Ward as a No. 1, but I think that was never the case really,” Achterberg said of the goalkeeping department in 2018.

“It was a little bit like, the boss had said they both [Ward and Karius] get a fair chance. I think both had their issues in pre-season and that’s why it was decided that we needed a new goalie.

“But it was all the pieces falling together because if you would have signed [Nabil] Fekir, then there was no money to sign Ali. So, we were lucky that the deal fell through.

“And then I said, ‘Okay boss, we have to be quick now’ because Chelsea for sure wanted to sign Ali too. And they will sell Courtois to Madrid so we have to do it before, and that’s what happened.”

It is hard to even reconcile with the fact that Liverpool were one selfish agent away from missing out on the world’s best goalkeeper – you dread to think where the Reds would be without Alisson.

Ultimately, the club broke the transfer record for a goalkeeper by signing the Brazilian from Roma for £66.9 million, the final signing in 2018 after landing Naby Keita, Fabinho and Xherdan Shaqiri.

Where is Fekir now?

That it was even a choice between Fekir and Alisson is puzzling, but History shows the Reds would have no regrets about how it all played out.

The Frenchman, though, “was disappointed not to go to Liverpool” and he ultimately left Lyon for Real Betis in 2019 in a £26.7 million transfer.

Now 31, Fekir is the captain of Betis and has made 162 appearances for the La Liga side, scoring 29 times and notching 28 assists.

The midfielder is a member of Betis’ squad in the US, which also includes Adrian, and they will face Liverpool in Pittsburgh on Friday evening.

If we talk about Liverpool’s sliding door moments throughout history, this one is right up there!