Manchester City make contact over Rayan Cherki transfer from Lyon | OneFootball

Talks have now been opened by Manchester City as they pursue a deal to sign Lyon’s Rayan Cherki this summer, according to new reports.

Officials at the Etihad Stadium are believed to be eyeing reinforcements for both the central midfield role and playmaker positions within Pep Guardiola’s squad in light of confirmed exits and expected changes.

Kevin De Bruyne will no doubt be the biggest departure out of the club this summer after Manchester City officials opted not to renew the 33-year-old’s contract, paving the way for the Belgian to complete a move to Napoli in the coming days.

However, given the magnitude of the hole left behind in the centre of the park by arguably the club’s greatest-ever player, a number of options are being eyed as targets to bring into the club, with Tijjani Reijnders of AC Milan among the primary solutions.

But in the last few days, while Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White has long been mooted as a target for Hugo Viana and Txiki Begiristain, attentions have seemingly turned to a more cut-price but exciting addition in French football.

That is Olympique Lyonnais’ Rayan Cherki, who is believed to have a release clause worth between £20 million and £25 million this summer, unsurprisingly drawing interest from numerous Premier League clubs as the players sides with the idea of a move to England.

Now, according to the information of transfer market insider Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City have made contact to start initial talks over a deal for Rayan Cherki as a target for the ‘No.10’ position this summer.

It is explained that the 21-year-old is currently top of this particular list within the Etihad Stadium alongside Morgan Gibbs-White, while the Frenchman himself is also aware of Manchester City’s interest.

It remains to be seen which other clubs could emerge in the chase for Cherki alongside Manchester City this summer, or whether the recently de-throned Premier League champions will have a clear run at the talent.

Some in the game have already raised the prospect of doubts emerging over the player’s temperament, although a contradicting view has always been that with stability and the right coach, there is a truly generational talent to be thrust to the top of the game.

In Pep Guardiola, Rayan Cherki may have exactly that in a manager that could ensure the right plan is in place to get the very best of the Frenchman’s incredible capabilities, at a time when creativity, an eye for goal, and energy is needed most in a struggling Manchester City set-up.

Any move for the France international is unlikely to have any impact on Manchester City’s chase for AC Milan’s Tijjani Reijnders, although it remains to be seen whether Morgan Gibbs-White will remain a target should a deal progress.