Liverpool have been linked with a potential move for Lyon forward Rayan Cherki as a possible replacement for Mohammed Salah.
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Rayan Cherki of Lyon looks on
Lyon forward Rayan Cherki has been linked with a move to Liverpool this summer
(Image: Getty Images)
Liverpool have been handed an update on Rayan Cherki's future. Recent reports have linked the Lyon forward with a move to Anfield as a potential Mohammed Salah replacement.
Cherki has scored eight goals for his club side this season and provided 18 assists across all competitions. His performances have helped Lyon sit fifth in France's Ligue 1 and earn a place in the Europa League quarter-finals, where they will face Manchester United.
The 21-year-old can play as a right-sided forward, leading to inevitable comparisons with Salah. Liverpool's No.11 faces an uncertain future as part of Arne Slot's side, with his contract on Merseyside set to expire this summer.
And journalist Fabrizio Romano, who specialises in transfers, has provided an update on Cherki, who could potentially line up at Liverpool in 2025/26 should Salah's future lie elsewhere.
"There’s nothing really advanced at this stage," Romano said in his latest newsletter for GiveMeSport. "Many clubs are informed but nothing else at this stage, also nothing will be decided now."
Cherki has impressed both domestically and with France's 2024 Olympic squad who won a silver medal in Paris last summer. At just 16, he made his Ligue 1 debut and became Lyon's youngest-ever goalscorer soon after.
The hype around Cherki has only escalated since Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas boldly compared the young talent to legendary Argentine forward Lionel Messi. "Cherki is comparable to (Lionel) Messi in terms of technical quality," he told Telefoot in France earlier this year.
However, Cherki himself has expressed admiration for another football icon, choosing to model his aspirations after a different all-time great. "I am here to provide joy for people and to also enjoy myself too and I think that is what makes the difference, whilst being efficient all the while," the Lyon playmaker declared in 2024.
"I had lots of idols but the one that I think is the best and the example to follow is Cristiano Ronaldo. Regarding his work and his longevity, that is the example that you have to follow."