Pressed further on whether Cherkineeds a coach like Guardiola to keep a lid on him, or if he can flourish when freed from those restraints, Saha added: “I think it’s great that he had a year with Pep because he’s such a raw talent with enormous courage to show it on any occasion, and I love that. Please keep those players alive. I really do want them around, for my kids, for anyone who loves football.
“Don’t get too much Guardiola. I love the manager, and I respect what he brings, but sometimes he’s too much, especially on those players. I don’t think that Pep will want that, because when you see this kind of talent, please preserve those guys.
“It’s like you have a Cristiano Ronaldo at 17, 18, 19, and you tell him, ‘No, no, no, you should not do this, you should not dribble that, don’t go there, don’t do that.’ No, it’s a killer. Those guys will learn.
“If they want to compete and be a Ballon d’Or at some point, then they will improve, they will want to learn. Kids like Cherki, they are professional machines, but don’t kill their instinct. Don’t kill the kids inside them.
“It’s so important. This is why we dream, and we pay tickets to watch games. So please, I think Rayan Cherki is someone that can now again prove that he has the quality to be the next Ballon d’Or with Pep Guardiola, with Jose Mourinho, with any manager.”