Manchester City trio Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Ait-Nouri
Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Ait-Nouri have all now turned out for Manchester City
Manchester City acted swiftly and decisvely in the transfer market this summer to ensure their new recruits could travel to the Club World Cup.
A trio of headline arrivals in Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Ait-Nouri arrived to the tune of more than £100million and after the opening two matches of the competition, all three have now got their first minutes in City colours under their belt.
Cherki and Reijnders began the opener against Wydad while Ait-Nouri sat that one out but played 90 minutes against Al Ain.
So what are the first impressions of the trio? We take a look.
Rayan Cherki
It's amazing how quickly opinions can change. Cherki was the most exciting signing in world football when he made his France debut with an electric cameo off the bench against Spain earlier this month, and then matched Florian Wirtz as France played Germany despite costing a fraction of what Liverpool have paid for the Leverkusen star.
But one drab match against Wydad has seen Cherki instantly questioned by some desperate for their opinions to be heard. He wasn't great against the Moroccan side, looking like he wasn't on the same wavelength as his teammates and failing to produce any individual brilliance - but that is hardly a surprise for a player making their first appearance for a side as drilled as Guardiola's is.
The 21-year-old is still very young and has time on his side to settle in at City, where he won't be expected to be a matchwinner immediately. City are confident that as he is given the time to feel his way into the team and see where his best position is, he will improve; sporting director Hugo Viana believes he has the potential to become world-class at the Etihad.
Having effectively taken Jack Grealish's place in the squad, Cherki now has to do what Grealish couldn't: offer more than Savinho, Jeremy Doku and Phil Foden to earn regular game time and starts.
Lo and behold, a 15-minute cameo against Al Ain proved more productive for Cherki. He rifled in an excellent goal that Erling Haaland set up for him and fed off that as he pushed for more goals. The opponents weren't the best but the goals still needed to be scored.
Guardiola has already seen plenty from Cherki in training to leave him excited and there has been nothing from the first two goals to dim the enthusiasm supporters have to see him in action.
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Tijjani Reijnders
It’s hard to make too many snap judgments from a hot and humid game against Wydad AC, but it’s fair to say Reijnders looked the part on his City debut. Playing in a deeper role than he’s likely to play in when Rodri is back in the starting XI, he read the game well and looked good in possession.
There were still a couple of moments when Wydad looked a danger as they attacked City through the middle, but Reijnders isn’t a natural holding midfielder. Instead, he is a box-to-box operator and has suggested he has been signed to be a No. 8 by Pep Guardiola.
It will be more interesting to see him with the leash off in midfield, either in front of Rodri or maybe Nico Gonzalez at some point. The Netherlands international showed he had developed an eye for goal last season and he looks like a nice foil for Rodri in that engine room.
He might have benefited from the signing of Rayan Cherki. Although Reijnders was £15m more expensive, it’s fair to say Cherki has come with greater fanfare and excitement. That has allowed Reijnders to go under the radar. On the early evidence, he won’t be staying there for long.
Rayan Ait-Nouri
Having sat out the opener against Wydad, the left back's arrival started in the win over Al Ain.
He began the game high up on the left, more midfielder than full back, and showed his attacking credentials with a smart jinking run into the box which might have yielded a chance had he not lost his footing. He repeated the trick early in the second half, this time getting his shot away only to see it blocked.
His positioning to provide an outlet and his willingness to deliver into the box should be music to Haaland's ears.
There was just the one slip, he was fortunate not to be booked in the second half after dallying on the ball and then conceding a free kick, but, against albeit limited opposition, the Algeria international showed what a force he can be.
City have been lacking a specialist left back for years, Ait-Nouri provides that and more. His arrival could be a gamechanger for Guardiola.
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