Manchester City Expected to Compete for Lyon Midfielder Rayan Cherki

Manchester City has officially entered the race to sign Lyon's 21-year-old attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki, who is expected to leave his club this summer amid interest from several top European teams including Manchester United and Liverpool. Cherki has had a breakthrough season, registering 12 goals and 20 assists across all competitions and has been recognized as one of the most creative young talents in Europe. Following the confirmed departure of Kevin De Bruyne, City is seeking to revamp its squad with fresh creativity, having withdrawn from pursuing Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz due to his high transfer cost. Cherki represents a more financially viable option with a reported release clause around £20-25 million, making him an attractive target for City as well as other Premier League clubs. His versatility allows him to play across the forward line, predominantly as a right-sided number ten, and his recent performances have impressed football experts including Thierry Henry. The competition for Cherki is expected to be intense, but City's interest signals a strategic move to fill the creative void left by De Bruyne and inject new energy into their squad.