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Nabil Fekir has caused quite a stir in France over the course of the last week. Not only has the talented attacker played a somewhat understated role in Lyon’s charge to the summit of Ligue 1, there has been a dramatic tug-of-war between Les Bleus and Algeria for the right to field him in international football.
On Thursday, Didier Deschamps apparently announced victory in this battle when he named him in the squad to meet Brazil on March 26.
Since first turning out for OL’s first team last term in an encounter against Evian, the 21-year-old, equally as effective at the forefront of the attack as in a withdrawn playmaking role, has turned heads.
“I have the same eyes for Fekir as the president of Barcelona has for a small Argentine who relies heavily on his left foot as well. He is my Messi,” Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas told beIN Sport in February.
“In a match he is capable, like Lionel Messi, of shaking things up.”
Eleven appearances last season offered a taste of his potential, yet long-term injuries to Clement Grenier and Yoann Gourcuff this season have opened the door for the Franco-Algerian to play a starring role for the current Ligue 1 leaders.
Alexandre Lacazette has grabbed many of the headlines, yet the contribution of Fekir has been immense. In 24 league encounters this season, he has scored 11 goals and provided seven assists. He has arguably carried Lyon since the turn of the year, at a time when Lacazette has been hit by injury problems.
His ability to dribble incisively in small areas has brought plentiful opportunities for Lyon, while his vision and passing are equally valuable tools. He has enjoyed favourable comparisons to the likes of Eden Hazard and Mario Gotze for his versatility across the forward line and ability to play equally well off both feet, yet he enjoys a natural industry that remains superior to the Belgian’s.
Standing at just 5 foot 8 inches, he may be small in stature yet his commitment and sinuous strength ensures he wins a greater proportion of challenges than he should.
Yet things have not always been so simple. In 2007, Lyon actually released the left-footed youngster as he turned 14 but after spells with a couple of smaller local clubs, Les Gones soon realised their error and re-signed him in 2011.
France are now eager not to make the same mistake as his club side, for any dallying might have seen Fekir turn to Algeria for good – and it seems they have won the race for the player’s commitment, although their lack of competitive action until Euro 2016 means a switch remains possible for at least another year.
Sceptics have been quick to point out that he had previously declared “his dream” was to play for Algeria, the homeland of his father, who had been very vocal in his desire for his son to play for Christian Gourcuff’s side.
Moreover, that he has recently hired agent Jean-Pierre Bernes, who also looks after Deschamps and several other top French stars, has led some critics to believe the decision may have been financially motivated.
Yet appointing an agent of such grandiose status befits his growing stature in the game, while the player has also turned out for France's Under-21s.
Fekir, though, has played it cool and has justified his decision using the example of Zinedine Zidane, with whom comparisons have inevitably been drawn due to his playing position and heritage.
“The comparison is flattering, but seriously I’m very far from the level of Zidane,” Fekir told L’Equipe on March 10.
“I’m not a world-class player but I’ll work with my club to try and get there.
“Going back to Zidane, we at least have one common point. We had to make the same choice. Like me, he was born in France. Like me, his parents were born in Algeria. We made the same decision.”
Arsenal are amongst the sides credited with having an interest in him, and it is easy to see how a player of his technical profile might fit into Arsene Wenger’s side. Like fellow Lyonnais Lacazette, though, Fekir is wary of the dangers of moving from his hometown club too soon.
“I don’t want to leave Lyon too early and end up sitting on a sub’s bench somewhere,” he told L’Equipe in February.
With the prospect of playing in Euro 2016 looming – and the exposure that might bring – there is little guarantee Fekir will depart Lyon this summer, particularly as they close in on a Champions League berth for next term.
This can only be good news for a club whose youth system continues to pump out players of startling quality with tremendous regularity.
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#CITYHITZ SPORT: Lyon’s Messi: Why Nabil Fekir is France's new hope
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