Rayan Cherki was not Manchester City’s priority after Florian Wirtz collapse, reveals journalist | OneFootball

Manchester City had a priority side from Lyon’s Rayan Cherki after withdrawing interest in Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, it has been claimed.

The France international has seemingly emerged as a potential first arrival through the Etihad Stadium doors this summer, as Manchester City prepare for life without arguably their club’s greatest-ever player from next season; Kevin De Bruyne.

Club officials took the difficult decision not to renew the Belgian’s contract beyond it’s existing expiry date of the end of June, and as such have found themselves looking for direct replacements within the European market.

The priority for the role was initially understood to be Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, although reservations over the finances involved in a deal meant that City withdrew interest and left the door open for the German to join Bayern Munich, Liverpool, or Real Madrid.

As such, Manchester City swiftly moved on to other targets within their shortlist this summer, and that now appears to have led the club to Olympique Lyonnais’ Rayan Cherki, although a new report has indicated that the Frenchman has only come after another name.

That is according to the information of Sky’s Sacha Tavolieri, who reveals that Pep Guardiola and City’s priority beyond Wirtz was FC Barcelona’s Dani Olmo, but gauged an understanding that a deal for the Spaniard would be drawn out and complex throughout the summer.

It is explained that discussions between City and Barcelona gave the former the understanding that should an agreement be reached, then such negotiations would be ‘long, complex, and bitter’ while an arrival was wanted ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup.

As such, all involved at Manchester City decided to set their sights on bringing Rayan Cherki to the club this summer, knowing that Lyon urgently need cash to balance accounts before the end of June as they eye a sale of around €40 million.

The arrival of Cherki at the Etihad Stadium will no doubt raise question marks over the club’s interest in Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White, with the England international believed to be high among the targets coming into the summer window.

At one stage, the line of reporting was that City officials would be frontrunners in the chase for Nuno Espirito Santo’s star-man in the middle of his set-up, with the player likely to command a fee north of £70 million this summer.

It also remains to be seen what the future holds for a number of existing playmaker options within the Manchester City squad, namely James McAtee – who is expected to leave the club permanently or on loan – as well as Phil Foden, who is hoping to bounce back next campaign.