Chelsea opted not to sign Lyon star Nabil Fekir

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Bengaluru, August 31: Premier League giants Chelsea rejected Lyon’s former Liverpool target Nabil Fekir this summer, according to the French club.

The 25-year-old looked set to move to Anfield in June before a problem with his medical scuppered the much-discussed £53m deal.

A knee problem forced the Reds to pull out before the attacking midfielder got over that setback by helping France to go on and win the World Cup just over a month later.

Now his Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has claimed his team’s talisman was also offered to Liverpool’s Premier League rivals at Stamford Bridge.

Speaking at a press conference to unveil new signing Marcelo, the chief said: "In the beginning, when we thought about our summer transfer window and how to organise the future squad. We thought that he (Fekir) was practically gone.

"That’s why we have been able to adapt things.

"We spoke with Chelsea representatives, and they had no interest at all in him.

"From then on, we realised we could change our plans as he would stay."

Liverpool decided not to continue their pursuit of Fekir after already signing Naby Keita and Fabinho to bolster their midfield.

Meanwhile Chelsea swooped to bring in Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic to boost their options in the middle.

However, neither of the two teams signed a player in Fekir's position and we might see the two Premier League giants come back in the hunt for him in January, especially Liverpool who clearly had a genuine interest in the French World Cup winner.

The Reds and the Blues both have made perfect starts to the season though with three wins out of three and look quite solid even without the French attacking midfielder but he can definitely make either of the two much stronger.