Manchester City have signed French playmaker Rayan Cherki from Lyon in a €36.5m deal, bolstering their squad before the Club World Cup begins on 14 June
[dropcap]M[/dropcap]anchester City sign Rayan Cherki from Lyon in a €36.5 million move, finalising the transfer on Tuesday just in time to register him for the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup, which kicks off on 14 June.
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The 21-year-old French international becomes the latest addition to Pep Guardiola’s squad, joining fellow new signing Rayan Ait-Nouri, who arrived from Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday.
City are also expected to confirm the arrival of AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders before the competition’s registration deadline.
Cherki’s transfer includes €6 million in potential add-ons, bringing the total package to €42.5 million (£36.6 million). Speaking to the club’s media team, Cherki said the move marked the realisation of a lifelong ambition.
“This is a dream for me,” the attacking midfielder said. “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.”
A graduate of Olympique Lyonnais’ youth academy, Cherki made his senior debut at just 16 and became the club’s youngest-ever goalscorer in 2020.
He made 185 appearances in total, scoring 29 goals. His standout performances this past season included two goals in a memorable Europa League quarter-final against Manchester United, despite Lyon’s narrow aggregate loss.
Internationally, Cherki made his senior debut for France last week, making an immediate impact by scoring and assisting in a dramatic 5-4 Nations League semi-final defeat to Spain.
Manchester City, seeking to rebound from a rare trophyless campaign, have invested heavily to reinforce their squad.
The club spent over £172 million in the January window alone, bringing in Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis, and Nico Gonzalez.
City director of football Hugo Viana praised Cherki’s potential, stating:
“There’s no doubt that he’s now in the best place possible to develop further under Pep’s guidance and I really believe he can become a world-class player with our support and direction.”
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Manchester City will begin their Club World Cup campaign against Moroccan champions Wydad AC and UAE’s Al Ain, before a group-stage showdown with Juventus.
Oreoluwa is an accountant and a brand writer with a flair for journalism.
