Nabil Fekir

Nabil Fekir
Image from: freelargeimages.com

Nabil Fekir


Current Club: Lyon.
Previous Clubs: N/A.
Loan Clubs: N/A.


International: France 17 caps 2 goals.
Trophies Won: N/A.


A silky smooth creative player, who can play wide forward or the old no 10 role, as a second striker/attacking midfielder behind a centre forward or even in central midfield. Despite having recently suffered a serious knee injury which ruled him out for a lengthy period, he has come back and had his best season, playing some superb football for Lyon as he captained the side through last season. Played well enough to generate interest from Liverpool, which is unsurprising since he is very like a left footed French version of Philippe Coutinho, who they have yet to replace.

Fekir has decent pace, though he is no jet-heeled winger, he does have the old-fashioned winger's ability to skip past a challenge to get into space for a shot or to pick out a pass. He does love to run with the ball and create space in that way. With a lovely left foot, he has a very good range of passing and a good cross, as well as the ability to score from range. Fekir also has decent strength to enable him to hold onto a ball under pressure while he looks for a pass or shot.

Also he is a set piece specialist, who can deliver excellent quality balls into dangerous areas with regularity. Which is useful, as his liking for running with the ball tends to draw a fair amount of fouls. Fekir does favour cutting in from the right onto his left foot to deliver, as is usual these days, rather than being on the left and going down the outside of a full back to cross. Like many skilful players, he is not much of one for tracking back, and he has been prone to forgetting his defensive duties at times.

Not so much that he does not do his job defensively, when required, it is more that he would rather press high and try and win the ball in dangerous areas, than drop off deep to protect the defence. Fekir is certainly not afraid to get stuck into a challenge and take on the physical side of the game, so it is not a dislike of doing the dirty work. The big worry is whether or not the knee will go again any time soon.

Requested by JTaylor781 & praveenlfc