Former Ligue 1 and Premier League star Habib Beye has urged Lyon to lock Liverpool linked Nabil Fekir down to a new contract, insisting that the midfielder can hit the heights once again and when he does he is extraordinary.
Fekir came within a whisker of moving to Liverpool last summer until a medical caused the Reds to look to renegotiate aspects of the agreement.
He has struggled to replicate his prior form over the last 12 months and now, heading into the final year of his contract at Lyon, could be sold on a cut-price deal.
Liverpool have been floated as potential contenders again for his signature, though it is unclear if the Premier League giants do have Fekir in mind.
For Beye though, Lyon should resolve to keep Fekir and get him back to his best.
He said on Canal Football Club: "We're talking about Fekir, he's playing at OL, he's a world champion. He played in the big Champions League games this season, against [Manchester] City and [Shakhtar] Donetsk.
"And we are saying that it is essential that Fekir leaves Lyon.
"With the condition of his knee and his problem with Liverpool, it is difficult for Lyon to sell for the expected €60m.
"But with this team from Lyon, and with Fekir back to his best in it, he can do it.
"When he is in shape, he is an extraordinary player", Beye insisted.
"Fekir grew up with the Juninho generation. [New director of football] Juni can try to revive him.
"Fekir at his level, for Lyon, he is a very good player to keep instead of selling for €10m-€20m.
"He is a Champions League player.
"It is important to be able to count on a player with these qualities", he added.
Lyon have already offloaded Ferland Mendy to Real Madrid this summer and Tanguy Ndombele is tipped to complete a move to Tottenham Hotspur.
As such, Les Gones have no pressing financial need to sell Fekir apart from avoiding the risk of seeing the midfielder running down his contract.
