Manchester City are set to sign attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki from Lyon in a €40 million package deal.
The French international is said to have flown to Manchester shortly after a deal was agreed on Monday morning to complete his medical and media duties before signing ahead of Tuesday’s transfer deadline before the FIFA Club World Cup.
The 21-year-old scored 12 goals for Lyon last season, as well as recording 20 assists, in just 44 appearances.
Cherki is well renowned for his amazing technical ability, ambidexterity, dribbling, close control and long range shooting.
There have been previous concerns about his attitude and weight, but rumours from French media suggest that Pep Guardiola’s mind was put at ease by speaking to some of Cherki’s former coaches.
And let’s not forget the likes of Raheem Sterling, Jack Grealish and even Kevin de Bruyne have had their attitudes questioned before joining City, to have subsequently caused zero to few problems.
Anyway, where exactly will Cherki fit into Guardiola’s plans?
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In terms of personnel, this one seems fairly straightforward. De Bruyne, a creative midfielder, leaves to join Napoli when his contract expires and won’t play at the Club World Cup, so in those simple terms Cherki is a like for like replacement for the Belgian midfielder.
But they’re very different players stylistically. De Bruyne, in his prime at least, thrived in transitions, driving at the backline with the ball at his feet, and could consistently play accurate full balls whilst running at full speed.
His crossing was immaculate too, making him a weapon against deep blocks, and when presented with the ball in front of goal he tended to finish more often than not.
Cherki, meanwhile, is more of an Oscar Bobb or Phil Foden type player.
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He thrives cutting in off the right hand side, receiving the ball in tight spaces. He can carry the ball into the box, go either way and this season, his decision making in the final third has improved significantly.
But what sets Cherki apart is that he’s exceptionally comfortable with his right foot too, to the extent that he’s been known to take corners right footed.
His ability to dribble, pass and shoot with his right foot and left foot makes him unpredictable for defenders, as highlighted recently by France legend Thierry Henry.
I can anticipate Cherki getting most of his minutes on the left or right wing during his first season at the club, particularly if Foden re-finds his form from the 2023/24 season which saw him win the PFA Player of the Year.
Guardiola is very particular about the pressing of his most advanced midfielder, and criticised Omar Marmoush earlier this season for not being quite up to scratch with what he wanted from him in this role.
Cherki’s workrate has been questioned before, and if it was too much of an issue, he wouldn’t have been signed, but it’s regarded to be easier to be a winger out of possession in City’s system than a central player (Guardiola has had concerns about Foden there previously too.)
Eventually, that’ll be his role in the team, and Guardiola I’m sure will be itching to work with a unique talent like Cherki.
If he has any concerns over defensive ability though, he’ll be operating in wide areas, at least out of possession. In possession, he can drift inside from the right into central areas.
An overlapping right back - namely Tino Livramento - would be revolutionary, as it would suit Bobb, Foden and get the best out of Cherki.
On the other flank, new £31 million signing Rayan Ait-Nouri can do the same, with Omar Marmoush more comfortable closer to goal.
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I’ve really got the sense that Cherki will make it big at City - he has everything needed to shine in a Guardiola team, including the hunger and desire to play for City that meant he flew over immediately after a deal between the two clubs was agreed.
With a reported four players in and four players out, it seems City’s plans for the Club World Cup at least are planned, and Cherki is at the heart of it.
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