Manuel Pellegrini has expressed his desire to keep Arsenal and Newcastle United target Nabil Fekir in Spain after being unveiled as the new manager of Real Betis, while speaking at his introductory press conference via Eurosport.
If ‘The Engineer’ is to coax the very best out of a talented and underachieving Betis side, he will need the World Cup winning Frenchman to stick around for a second season in Andalusia.
The free-flowing Fekir has been a sunflower in a bed of thistles since moving to the Estadio Benito Villamarin in a shock deal last summer, producing seven goals, four assists and Man of the Match performances against both Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Somewhat inevitably, a season of resurgence has catapulted the former Lyon captain back into the gossip columns.
An Arsenal side crying out for creativity are keen, according to the Mirror (10 July, page 57) after becoming increasingly over-reliant on Dani Ceballos in the final third.
Given that Ceballos is only on loan from Real Madrid, that is not exactly a long-term strategy.
Newcastle have also been linked, with FootMercato suggesting that the £18 million Fekir is among an array of marquee targets lined up by the club’s prospective new owners.
But you wouldn’t think that Pellegrini would have signed up at Betis if he knew the La Liga outfit were planning to immediately deprive him of their most talented footballer.
“Fekir is a top player, he has shown his quality almost in every game this season,” says the former Real Madrid, Manchester City and West Ham boss.
“I am very happy that he is at the club. I am sure his performance will continue to improve as he has all the qualities.”
Pellegrini should be in luck here, with Betis president Angel Haro telling AS in May that Fekir has little interest in turning his back on the Verdiblancos after just 12 months.
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