Jurgen Klopp left Liverpool having won every major trophy on offer during his tenure, but things may have turned out differently were it not for the failed medical that scuppered Nabil Fekir’s move from Lyon in 2018. The French World Cup winner seemed destined for Anfield that summer in a £50million deal, having agreed personal terms.
However, the transfer subsequently collapsed after the club uncovered an apparent knee issue during the medical.
Fekir, who would go to make 39 club appearances for Lyon the following season before joining Real Betis, would later claim that the club used his knee as a cover story, arguing that issues with his agent had instead ruined the deal.
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And now John Achterberg, the club’s goalkeeper coach at the time, has revealed that had Fekir signed on the dotted line then Alisson would never have joined the club from Roma. That summer the Reds were presented with an issue over their favoured No.1, with Loris Karius having turned in a disastrous display in the 2018 Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid.
In an appearance on The Football Historian Podcast, the Dutchman admitted that he and Klopp decided to act having failed to be convinced by Karius or Danny Ward. But aware the club weren’t the only ones in the race for the then Roma star, there was little time to waste.
“Both had their issues in pre-season and that’s why it was decided that we needed a new goalie,” he said. “But it was also all pieces falling together because if you would have signed Fekir then there was no money to sign Allison.
“So we were lucky that that deal fell through and then I said ‘Ok boss, we have to be quick now because Chelsea for sure want to sign Ali too and they will sell Courtois to Real Madrid’. So we had to do it before and that’s what happened.”
The Brazilian duly arrived at Anfield in a £66.8million deal, at the time a world record fee for a goalkeeper. And it was a signing that unarguably changed the course of history, with Allison going on to be pivotal in Liverpool winning the Champions League in 2018/19.
The keeper has also picked up a Premier League title as well as winners medals in the FA Cup, League Cup, European Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup, and remains the club No.1 despite being plagued by injury last season. He’s also the only Liverpool keeper to score in a competitive match, heading home in the 2-1 win over West Brom in May 2021.
The 31-year-old has made 263 club appearances, also winning 60 caps for his country. His current deal with the club runs until 2027.
But Achterberg, 53, this summer left the club to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq. He’s now joined the coaching staff led by former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard.
