Reports hit just about everywhere on Thursday evening that Liverpool and Lyon were within 24 hours of completing a deal for Nabil Fekir to head to Anfield.
It’s hardly been a secret that the Reds have been interested in Lyon’s captain, nor was it difficult to understand why they’d be eager to complete it before France headed off to Russia.
Lyon’s president, Jean-Michael Aulas, has been outspoken about not selling his player easily and so there was a fear that Liverpool would have to wait on this one.
But it now looks like Liverpool are right on the brink of their second major signing this summer, having already completed a deal for AS Monaco’s Fabinho.
The deal for Fekir will reportedly come to around £53m, while Fabinho’s transfer saw Liverpool splash out around £40m; Jurgen Klopp’s side intends to spend nearly £100m on Ligue 1 imports in a little over a week.
But while the money for Fekir would represent a new record sale from Ligue 1 to the Premier League, it certainly isn’t the first big deal to happen between the two leagues.
Let’s take a look at how some of those other major signings worked out in England’s top flight.
Anthony Martial – AS Monaco to Manchester United for up €60m – 2015
The Frenchman arrived as a 19-year-old with a complicated transfer fee; he could cost United anything from about £30m to roughly £60m.
Initially a surprise signing, Martial quickly showed his promise although he’s stalled under Jose Mourinho. He’s now reported to be a summer target for Tottenham Hotspur.
Benjamin Mendy – AS Monaco to Manchester City for €57m – 2017
We can’t really give a verdict on Mendy yet. The left-back looked like a great signing for City right away but then injury kept him out for virtually the entire season.
If he refinds his form then the newly-crowned Premier League champions have little to worry about.
Alexandre Lacazette – Lyon to Arsenal for €53m – 2017
Lacazette was Arsenal’s record signing a year ago but his first season was a bit hit and miss. 14 league goals is not too shabby although fans certainly expected more from the 27-year-old after his record in Ligue 1.
He was a little bit shown up by January signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who managed ten goals in half the time. There’s still time for him to prove he can be what Arsenal wanted, though.
Bernardo Silva – AS Monaco to Manchester City for €50m – 2017
Monaco’s stellar season saw nearly all of their stars targeted, with Silva one of the most exciting. He’s been good for City although has been the second choice behind Raheem Sterling for the Champions’ right flank.
A decent signing, although not an earth-shattering one.
Tiemoué Bakayoko – AS Monaco to Chelsea for €40m – 2017
Of all the players who left Monaco that summer (and it was clearly an awful lot), Bakayoko was the one who had the biggest risk taken on him. Chelsea sold Nemanja Matic to rivals United in order to make way for the midfielder only for it to turn out that it wasn’t a risk well taken.
Bakayoko spent most of the season as the butt of jokes, regularly leaving people wondering what had happened on his flight from Monaco to London. Only a year into his career but it’ll take a hell of a turnaround.
Didier Drogba – Marseille to Chelsea for €39m – 2004
Something a little different as we go all the way back to Mourinho’s first season at Chelsea for this one. Drogba cost what was considered a fortune at the time but it’s safe to say that all Blues fans consider it well worth it.
The Frenchman was an inconsistent goalscorer over his time with Chelsea, managing to go seasons without many and then hit 30 the next. Overall, however, he was much more than that and an integral part of the club’s greatest era.
We’ll likely be able to add Fekir’s name to this list in a year to look back at how he’s done – and judging by things, it really could go either way.
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