Olympique Lyonnais made waves in the French Ligue 1 this season, pegging Paris Saint-Germain close to the domestic title. They have young playmaker Nabil Fekir to thank, with the highly-rated midfielder enjoying a standout campaign that has seen his reputation propelled to new heights. A host of elite clubs in Europe have been linked with Fekir this summer as a result of his form, and the 21-year-old looks set for a bright future.
Born in Lyon, and a product of the side’s conveyor belt of talent, Fekir has excelled in his second season in the first-team, scoring 12 goals and making nine assists in 32 Ligue 1 games. He’s created 47 chances, and has made 86 successful dribbles which makes him a nightmare for any defender. The young midfielder perhaps wasn’t too well-known earlier in the season by the masses, but he’s certainly made a name for himself now. He’s done well to keep his feet on the ground and let his football do the talking, but it will be hard for Lyon to keep him due to his consistency over the course of the campaign.
Fekir hasn’t gone more than three league games without scoring a goal or making an assist, and his club form has seen him represent the French national team too. France manager Didier Deschamps gave a glowing endorsement upon his initial call-up, saying: “Fekir is a player with great potential. I consider that he can bring us something different. He plays in a different role to the others. He can score and set up others to score.”
This summer will be crucial as the 21-year-old will now be eyeing a place Les Bleus’ squad for Euro 2016, so he needs to ensure he’s in the right place to enjoy a successful season to impress. Arsenal of the Premier League, and Paris Saint-Germain are two sides reportedly keen on the playmaker, but Fekir appears to be content to spend another year with his boyhood side.
He recently said about the speculation: “It’s always flattering, that’s for sure. It shows that I’ve had quite a good season. But I prefer to stay at Lyon for another year so I can build on what I have done.” Fekir is still young enough to bide his time before making the inevitable move away from Lyon to play at the highest level, but the interest will continue to rise in his services, which puts an expiration date on his time with OL.
How good has Nabil Fekir been for Olympique Lyonnais this season? Where could he eventually end up in his career?
