France manager Zinedine Zidane has outlined his vision for Manchester City playmaker Rayan Cherki as a central midfielder with the national side, insisting the 23-year-old has the defensive discipline to thrive in the role.
Rayan Cherki could be given a new lease of life on international level under Zinedine Zidane.
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Cherki has made a strong start to the 2026/27 season after an eye-catching debut campaign at the Etihad Stadium that saw him establish himself as one of the standout performers under former City boss Pep Guardiola following his arrival from Lyon last summer.
A brace in a 4-1 victory over Crystal Palace was followed by a composed finish in the 5-3 win over Sunderland, performances that have prompted comparisons with City's greatest creative players and drawn praise from Enzo Maresca for the quality of his all-round contributions both on and off the ball.
The France international had endured a difficult FIFA World Cup period in which limited playing time brought sleepless nights behind the scenes, with senior figures in the France camp - including Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Marcus Thuram - said to have reassured Cherki that his opportunity would come.
Bayern Munich were never interested in signing Rayan Cherki from Manchester City this summer, as per reports in Germany.cityxtra.co.ukBayern Munich were never interested in signing Rayan Cherki from Manchester City this summer, as per reports in Germany.
Truth on Bayern's Pursuit of Cherki Revealed in Report From Germany
We Know What Rayan is Capable of With the Ball, Says France Boss Zidane
With Cherki having declared he is "not dreaming of the Ballon d'Or" and is at City simply "to be myself", Zidane outlined how he sees his role evolving within the national setup, with Cherki's defensive output in the 1-0 UEFA Nations League win over Turkey cited as evidence that the transition to a deeper role is already taking shape.
In conversation with Telefoot, Zidane said: "Rayan Cherki can be versatile, he is able to play every attacking position. Quality players can do that. But it's also my choice to play him as a central midfielder, and I believe he's able to do it.
"We know what he's capable of with the ball. But he can defend and did it well against Turkey. He was involved in both defensive and offensive parts, in a great position, that I like to play him in."
Zidane's comments carry particular weight given how Cherki has been used at club level, having transitioned into a box-to-box player in his opening months under Maresca after his debut campaign under Guardiola.
At Manchester City, Maresca has praised exactly the kind of off-ball discipline Zidane is now describing - after the Crystal Palace win, the City manager noted that Cherki "has to press" and "was in charge of [Adam] Wharton when Palace had the ball," describing the overall display as "a complete game - on the ball and off the ball."
The alignment between what City demand of Cherki and what Zidane is now asking of him at international level points to a player whose development is moving in a consistent direction across both environments.
Cherki's own comments this week reflected an awareness of how much room for growth remains. Speaking to Telefoot whilst on international duty, he said there were "a lot of games I didn't play well" and that he needed "to score a lot of goals" for his teammates - a willingness to self-critique that has made him a fan favourite at the Etihad Stadium.
Former City goalkeeper Joe Hart, analysing Cherki's Sunderland goal on Match of the Day, drew a comparison with club legend David Silva, calling it "an absolute genius move in amongst all the chaos".
His position within Maresca's squad also carries its own competitive dynamic, with Phil Foden occupying similar creative territory and the City manager clear that the pair can co-exist.
"I think if you want to build an important team, you need competition inside the team. It's good that Phil and Rayan are in competition, but can play together in some games," Maresca said at the start of the season.
Zidane's decision to deploy Cherki in a central midfield role for France - rather than in the more advanced attacking positions he occupied earlier in his career - may yet inform how Maresca thinks about him across a long domestic and European season.
Cherki returns to club action after the international break as City look to extend their perfect start to the 2026/27 Premier League season with a tricky test against Liverpool at Anfield - three days before they welcome UEFA Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain to the Etihad Stadium.