Manchester City are currently pushing to sign Rayan Cherki from Lyon.
The 2025 summer transfer has got off to a busy start for the Premier League club, as everything is in place for Man City to officially announce the signing of Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan, with Cherki being the next piece of the puzzle as Pep Guardiola looks to revamp his midfield.
Wednesday was a big day for the deal as Man City agreed personal terms with Cherki, which now leaves an agreement needed between the two clubs.
Fabrizio Romano reports that a bid would arrive on Lyon’s doorstep later on Wednesday, and that offer did arrive, but it has shown that the two clubs are still not on the same page regarding the sale of Cherki.
Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
Lyon reject Man City’s first offer for Rayan Cherki
It was reported this week by Florian Plettenberg that the transfer fee for Cherki was the main issue between Man City and Lyon, as the clubs have yet to come to an agreement on a fee.
According to Sacha Tavolieri, Man City have submitted their first offer for the French star, said to be worth £19m; however, Lyon have rejected the proposal as it falls well short of what the Ligue 1 outfit is expecting to receive for the 21-year-old.
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With Lyon’s asking price being low, it is unusual to see Man City messing around with the deal, considering the Manchester club hope to have the midfielder as part of their squad for the FIFA Club World Cup.
City know what they need to pay to get the deal over the line, so it is now up to them if they want to pay that fee or not, which is likely to be matched over the coming days to have Cherki available before they jet off to America.
Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
How much Man City need to pay to sign Rayan Cherki
Heading into the summer, Cherki was believed to have a £25m release clause in his contract, which would have made a deal for Man City very easy; however, Fabrizio Romano has stated that the Lyon star’s deal is a complicated one, hence why negotiations have taken place.
According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Cherki has already decided to join Manchester City ahead of the new season and could sign a contract with the Premier League club until 2030.
🚨🔵 Rayan #Cherki has decided to join Manchester City. Personal terms were never an issue. Talks about a contract until 2030. #MCFC
An offer from Man City is on its way. The player’s camp is hoping for a quick agreement. The price valuation is €35–40 million.@SkySportDE 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/aBBT4Fyzne
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) June 4, 2025
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Lyon expects between £29m-£34m (€35m-€40m) to part ways with the 21-year-old, which leaves City £10m short with their first offer.
Having already reached an agreement with Cherki, Man City fans can expect the deal to get over the line very soon, as the Manchester club will want to get another player into their squad, so they can focus on securing the remainder of their top targets.