Rayan Cherki warms up before the UEFA Nations League 2025 semi-final match between Spain and France
Manchester City are closing in on a deal for Lyon and France playmaker Rayan Cherki
Rayan Cherki's brilliantly effortless international debut for France was hard to ignore.
The playmaker came on with half an hour to play and his side 5-1 down to Spain in a Nations League semi-final. He left the pitch with a goal and an assist having just failed to lead Les Bleus to an improbable comeback in a 5-4 loss.
Cherki's goal was box office, flicking the ball up on the edge of the penalty area and arrowing it into the corner. The 21-year-old has caught the eye for Lyon this season and was rewarded by Dider Deschamps with his senior international bow. Plenty more caps will surely follow.
Manchester City are closing in on a deal for Cherki, and hope to conclude it in the coming days ahead of the initial summer transfer window shutting on Tuesday. The French club are in need of sales to boost their position ahead of the end of the financial year and a fee of around £30m could be enough to come to an agreement, although negotiations are ongoing.
It's easy to see why City like Cherki. He's talented, he excels in tight spaces and is versatile enough to play across the frontline.
He predominantly plays wide on the right but can operate across the forward line and is two-footed. Indeed his long-term position is likely at number 10, and his coming of age season this term has elevated him to new heights.
He was outstanding for France Under-21s in a win over England in March and had 19 goal involvements in 30 matches in the French top flight this season, plus 12 in 12 in the Europa League.
He made quite the impression on Thierry Henry, who knows a thing or two about forward play and hitting the heights in the Premier League. When the Arsenal great was in charge of France Under-21s last year, he called Cherki into the squad having initially left him out, seemingly a challenge to bring his mentality up to the standards of his football ability.
“He has woken up,” Henry said in a press conference. “That’s good. Not seeing his name on the list should have annoyed him. He needs to show consistency because there is a huge difference between sometimes showing character and showing character all the time.
“I’m not talking about his quality because I have never seen a player in history who dribbles as quickly as him, with both feet."
His long-term future seems to be in the number 10 role, a vacancy City have after the departure of Kevin De Bruyne.
Phil Foden is the internal candidate but struggled amid form and fitness issues last term while Jack Grealish would love to take on the mantle but is on his way out. Omar Marmoush is capable of playing in that position while Clauido Echeverri would be a wildcard option given his age and inexperience.
Cherki could leap to the front of the queue and spearhead a new look City as they seek to wrestle back control at home and in Europe.
"He has his creative qualities, he scores a great goal. That's what he's here for," surmised France boss Didier Deschamps after the defeat to Spain.
"I'm not someone who fears matches," concluded Cherki in a message that will be music to the ears of City fans.
He could be striking fear into City's opponents next season.
Content Image
Content Image
---
Here at the Manchester Evening News, we’re dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester City coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest City news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day’s biggest stories.
*And finally, if you’d rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Talking City podcast. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.*