---
title: "Gerrard could’ve landed his best signing yet with Nabil Fekir"
canonical: "https://readastonvilla.com/2022/09/23/gerrard-couldve-landed-his-best-signing-yet-with-nabil-fekir/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "James Thompson"
section: "Aston Villa News"
published: "2022-09-23T06:40:00Z"
modified: "2026-09-03T11:38:13Z"
---

# Gerrard could’ve landed his best signing yet with Nabil Fekir

[Aston Villa’s](https://readastonvilla.com/) owners and board members have done their bit to back Steven Gerrard in the transfer market since he was appointed as manager last November.

The [summer transfer window](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/aston-villa/transfers/verein/405) saw the Villans splash the cash to sign the likes of Diego Carlos and Leander Dendoncker, along with securing a permanent deal for Philippe Coutinho following his [loan spell](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/philippe-coutinho/transfers/spieler/80444) at the Midlands club.

However, one player who was [mentioned](https://www.fichajes.net/noticias/3-equipos-premier-quieren-fichar-nabil-fekir-20220813.html) with a move to Villa Park to no avail and who we feel could have been Gerrard’s best signing at the club yet is Nabil Fekir.

With [315](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/nabil-fekir/leistungsdatenverein/spieler/203496) appearances to his name between his current club Real Betis and his previous employers Lyon, the 29-year-old has scored 91 goals and delivered 71 assists. Last season saw the Frenchman score [six](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/nabil-fekir/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/203496) goals and provide [eight](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/nabil-fekir/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/203496) assists in 34 La Liga games.

He also ended the campaign with more shots at goal ([84](https://fbref.com/en/squads/fc536746/2021-2022/Real-Betis-Stats)), shots on target ([31](https://fbref.com/en/squads/fc536746/2021-2022/Real-Betis-Stats)), shot-creating actions ([161](https://fbref.com/en/squads/fc536746/2021-2022/Real-Betis-Stats)), goal-creating actions ([19](https://fbref.com/en/squads/fc536746/2021-2022/Real-Betis-Stats)) and pressures in the attacking third of the pitch ([187](https://fbref.com/en/squads/fc536746/2021-2022/Real-Betis-Stats)) than any other player at the Andalucian club.

Hailed as a “[tremendous](https://hesgoal.ltd/fekir-is-very-happy-here-and-his-family-too/)” player by Betis president Angel Haro, Fekir also ended the 2021/22 season with an impressive overall performance rating of 7.38/10, making him the highest-rated player at the club to have started more than one league game according to [WhoScored](https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/54/Archive/Spain-Real-Betis).

This rating would have comfortably put him at the top of Villa’s highest-rated [players](https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/24/Archive/England-Aston-Villa) for the corresponding Premier League campaign, showing how he could have raised standards from the level of players currently at Gerrard’s disposal.

Bearing in mind how the Villans have had a tough start to the current campaign from an attacking point of view, with the second-lowest rate of expected goals ([5.3](https://fbref.com/en/comps/9/Premier-League-Stats)) in the English top flight, having a player like the Betis star in their squad would have surely made Gerrard’s team a deadlier outfit.

All things considered, in our view the Frenchman would have been the 42-year-old’s best signing as Villa manager so far, had the Midlands club pulled it off when they had the chance.