Rayan Cherki has attracted plenty of attention with a fantastic season for Lyon and is ready to leave the French club in the summer transfer window for a bargain fee
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Rayan Cherki of Olympique Lyon
Rayan Cherki is poised to leave Lyon this summer(Image: Getty Images)
Lyon star Rayan Cherki will be at the centre of a tug of war between Premier League sides after making it clear he will move in the summer transfer window. Cherki has enjoyed a productive 2024/25 season with Lyon and is poised to leave France when the window opens for business next month.
The 21-year-old forward has 12 goals and 20 assists in 44 appearances for Lyon this season and caught the eye with his performances against Manchester United. Cherki netted in both legs of Lyon’s Europa League quarter-final defeat against Ruben Amorim’s side – and they are one of several clubs interested in signing him.
As Mirror Football reported in April, United are at the front of the queue for the exciting youngster, having kept tabs on him from a young age. Cherki nearly joined the club’s academy when Nicky Butt was in charge, but he decided to join his hometown side instead.
He is understood to have a €22.5million (£19m) release clause in his Lyon contract, which makes him a bargain. That has attracted United, Tottenham, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Manchester City, as well as Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan, according to reports in France.
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Speaking after their 2-0 win over Angers in their final league game of the season, Cherki strongly hinted that he is about to leave. He said: "Thanks to OL, the coach, the staff, the president, my teammates and all people at the club."
While his destination remains unclear, his talent is without question. Cherki has starred for France Under-21s, scoring 13 goals in 23 games, and is expected to be called up to the senior Les Bleus squad this summer.
He has already earned rave reviews, with Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas saying: "Cherki is comparable to Messi in terms of technical quality."
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Rayan Cherki celebrates
Rayan Cherki returned 12 goals and 20 assists in 44 games this season
Cherki himself actually prefers Cristiano Ronaldo, though. "I had lots of idols but the one that I think is the best and the example to follow is Cristiano Ronaldo,” he told Telefoot. "Regarding his work and his longevity, that is the example that you have to follow."
He added: "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."
His Lyon team-mate, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, has been extremely impressed. "He is the best natural talent I've ever seen," he told the BBC. "An absolute master, a wizard with the ball. He is taking chances, assists and dragging us up the pitch by taking people on and nutmegging them – he is a genius.
"He is two-footed, has no fear, keeps going and going, can get past people with such ease, such finesse. He is now working for the team off the ball and has gone to another level this season."
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