Manchester City reach agreement with Lyon for Rayan Cherki move

Manchester City have reportedly agreed a deal with Lyon for the signing of Rayan Cherki.

The 22-year-old will sign for City on a five-year deal with personal terms agreed as the club hope to register the Frenchman in time for the Club World Cup.

Fabrizio Romano reported on X on Monday afternoon: "BREAKING: Rayan Cherki to Manchester City, here we go! Deal in place club to club after direct contact.

"Cherki will sign five year deal as #MCFC player, OL to receive €35m package with add-ons as L’Équipé reports.

"Documents being prepared in time for Club World Cup."

Tipped as a player City should be looking at to help fill the notable gap that will be left by Kevin De Bruyne, as well as one of five Ligue 1 players Premier League clubs should be looking at, Cherki earns a move to one of Europe's biggest clubs.

Cherki's reputation has grown enormously in the last few weeks as his availability has become clear, most recently in France's Nations League defeat where he totally changed the game after being introduced at 5-1 down.

Cherki came on after the hour, scoring one and making another as France battled to a 5-4 defeat, earning him a start in Les Bleus' 2-0 win over hosts Germany on Sunday.

There are fair questions to ask about Cherki's fit under a manager like Pep Guardiola. Cherki has gone on record as saying that football is less watched because it's more robotic, and he may not take to being pigeon-holed by Guardiola. But if City are looking to unpick a side happy to camp on their 18-yard box, Cherki will often be the answer with the playmaking winger outstanding in tight spaces and possessing an uncanny ability to open sides up.

The move will take City's expected spending in 2025 to more than £300m following an expensive January in which they signed Vitor Reis, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico Gonzalez and Omar Marmoush for around £200m.

Cherki looks set to be first in the door with Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Ait-Nouri expected to follow.

Liam Williams

• Manchester City F.C.
• Premier League
• Ligue 1
• Transfer News
• • 
  •