Rayan Cherki is on Manchester City’s radar as they look to scour world football to find a successor to Kevin De Bruyne ahead of next season.
Manchester City admire Cherki behind the scenes and would like to sign him alongside Morgan Gibbs-White to address the number 10 position in the summer transfer window.
Earlier this month, Manchester City seemingly enquired about Cherki’s availability as well.
The Frenchman is one of the most prodigious young players in the world, renowned for his exceptional dribbling, unique eye for a pass and impeccable technique.
Manchester City fans are excited about the fact that Cherki has been linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium as they are on board with his potential arrival.
Man City fans excited about Rayan Cherki interest
One Manchester City fan analysed why Cherki is the real deal, writing: “Technically intoxicating talent — ball manipulation, directional control and his disguise in tight spaces are outrageous. What truly sets him apart is his spatial looseness: a free-roaming playmaker who thrives in undefined zones, drifting between pockets to destabilise structures.”
A second supporter suggested that the 21-year-old would be an incredible signing, especially if played on the wing when comparing his numbers to those of Jeremy Doku and Savinho: “Cherki got 32 goals and assists in 44 games in the ’24/25 [season] btw [by the way] at 21 years old. Numbers our wingers could only dream of. Pull the trigger.”
A third Manchester City fan explained that Cherki is a “world-class talent” and he could become an absolute superstar under Pep Guardiola: “Cherki is absolutely magical with the ball. Two-footed. Legitimately world-class talent. My biggest question is his work rate. Seems to contribute nothing off the ball when I’ve watched him. If City want to take that chance and can correct it, he’s a top-level player.”
Another Sky Blues supporter simply wrote: “Cherki is one of the best footballers in the world and for that reason I say, bring him.”
A fifth fan explained why signing the Lyon technician makes complete sense when considering the number of low blocks City face and his potential: “Given his age profile and the increasingly negative tactics City come up against, you’d almost be silly to not consider giving Cherki a go. The potential benefits are ridiculous. Worst-case scenario, I reckon you still get half your money back.”
Finally, a sixth Manchester fan claimed that Cherki could potentially be a better attacking midfielder than Florian Wirtz, who could join Liverpool after rejecting a move to Manchester City: “Cherki is genuinely the only [number] 10 close to Wirtz, arguably better.”
With De Bruyne set to join Napoli, it seems like City are doing whatever it takes to sign a replacement for him and the French U-21 international could very well be the rightful heir to the Belgian’s throne.
How much Man City would have to pay to sign Cherki
Considering Pep Guardiola has a history of taking attacking midfielders to the next level, with names like Thomas Mueller and De Bruyne springing to mind, he is perhaps on board with Manchester City’s pursuit of Cherki.
With the highly-rated attacker’s release clause being valued at around £20 to £25 million, according to The Telegraph, it’s safe to say that he could end up being an absolute bargain.
Cherki is the type of player who excites fans, which explains why Manchester City supporters are hoping that a deal gets done this summer.
