Lyon president Aulas brushes of Fekir transfer rumours

Bengaluru, May 23: Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas stated that his team's star forward Nabil Fekir has not received any offers from Liverpool and he has no intention of approving a sale over the summer. Liverpool have been linked with the French forward as they are on the lookout for a promising name to replace Coutinho.

Fekir has been in sensational form over the last two years and this season too has struck 18 goals in 30 league games to guide his team to a top-three finish. The midfielder has since been continuously linked with a summer move to Anfield by the French media and as per reports, a £60 million deal for the player has been agreed upon between the two parties.

But now squashing all the rumours, Lyon's president has appeared to have cast doubt over a possible departure and declared that they have not received any formal offers for attacking midfielder.

Aulas also has reiterated that his side is also under no pressure to sell Fekir and since no release clause is inserted in the contract, any club who wishes to get him now has to pay a large transfer fee. "There has been no contact with Liverpool or any other club so we haven’t discussed the future," Aulas told SFR Sport.

"I know that Nabil, now that we have qualified for the Champions’ League, would really like to stay, so we will discuss things calmly. He has magnificently won the right to go to Russia with France, which gives him an even higher standing. For the moment, nothing is done.

"You will have to be very, very rich to sign Nabil Fekir this year."

Nabil earlier in his last game of the season against Nice, which they won 3-2 and secured a place in next year's champions however remained coy over his future. The attacking midfielder received a standing ovation from home supporters during the final.

But when the player was asked about his next move, he remained non-committal over his future and said: "Farewell? Frankly, I don't know. I spent an exceptional season here with players, fans and the staff. We ended up in beauty.

"You have to pass a course, it is true. I think I gave everything to Lyon. Now it is time to look into the future." The 24-year-old has been named in France's 23 man squad and it will be his first big tournament with France at a global level.