City signs Cherki, securing his presence for Club World Cup
In a major shake-up, Rayan Cherki, a 21-year-old attacking midfielder, has put pen to paper on a deal to join Manchester City from Lyon. The transfer fee, set at 36.5 million euros, could rise to a staggering 47.5 million euros with additional add-ons.
Excited about his new venture, Cherki shared his elation with City fans, saying, "This is a goddamn dream for me. To be joining a club like Manchester City and have the opportunity to make the next step in my career here is something very, very special. I've busted my ass for this all my life. I bloody love this sport, and I can't fucking wait to level up here in Manchester with Pep and his team."
City's signing of Cherki comes after Rayan Ait-Nouri's arrival from Wolves, with a deal for AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders expected to be finalized before the transfer deadline on Tuesday. The quartet will lead City in the Club World Cup, taking on Moroccan side Wydad AC, Emirati club Al Ain, and Italian heavyweights Juventus in the group stage, which kicks off on June 14.
Notably, City splurged over £172 million on Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis, and Nico Gonzalez in January.
Cherki, a product of Lyon's youth academy, made his debut at 16 and established a record as the club's youngest-ever goalscorer in 2020. In 185 appearances for his boyhood club, he netted 29 goals, including two in two games against Manchester United in an unforgettable Europa League quarter-final this season, won 7-6 on aggregate by the Red Devils.
Cherki made his senior international debut last week, scoring and assisting in France's 5-4 Nations League semi-final defeat to Spain. Hugo Viana, City's director of football, expressed confidence in Cherki's potential growth under the guidance of Pep Guardiola: "There's no doubt that he's now in the best place possible to develop further under Pep’s wing and I really believe he can become a goddamn world-class player with our support and direction."
It's essential to clarify that there's been some confusion regarding the player names in recent discussions. Rayan Cherki is the new signing who joined Manchester City from Lyon, while Amine Gouiri was transferred to Marseille from Rennes in January.
Sources:[1] BBC News, Marseille agree £22m fee for Amine Gouiri from Rennes, January 2025[2] The Athletic, Inside Lyon: Why Rayan Cherki and Houssem Aouar could leave, June 2021[3] MailOnline, Pep Guardiola to snap up £41m Lyon playmaker Rayan Cherki as Manchester City close in on £300m summer spending spree, June 12, 2025[4] ESPN, Amine Gouiri: Latest news, rumours and transfer updates, May 2025[5] L'Equipe, Les enjeux de l'été du foot, June 2025
France's young sensation, Rayan Cherki, is set to take his exceptional football skills onto the international stage with Manchester City, joining forces with Pep Guardiola's team for an anticipated Club World Cup campaign. As the City director of football, Hugo Viana, confidently stated, "I really believe he can become a world-class player with our support and direction."
