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Man City agree deal for France star, pushing to complete signing in time for Club World Cup
Manchester City have agreed a €40 million deal for Lyon forward Rayan Cherki. The deal includes bonuses and the player is set to sign a five year contract with Pep Guardiola’s side. ESPN has reported that City is now pushing to seal the deal in time for 21 year old to join the squad in time for this summer’s Club World Cup.
The deadline for the summer’s first transfer window is Tuesday at 7pm BST. The player is scheduled for a medical on Tuesday, with the City squad expected to travel to the United States later this week ahead of their first game on June 18.
City will face Moroccan side Wydad AC in Philadelphia and will hope to have last season’s Ligue 1 Best Dribbler in their ranks.
Cherki impressed on his full international debut for France last Thursday. He came on as a substitute and scored and assisted as France launched a spirited but short lived fightback in a 5-4 defeat to Spain in Nations League semi-final.
This follows an impressive season with Lyon, where he scored 12 goals and contributed 20 assists across all competitions. He managed to bag several individual awards this season, mainly Ligue 1’s first ever Dribbler of the Year award.
He also picked up the awards for Ligue 1’s top assist provider as well as Europa League top assist provider. Cherki earlier this season announced his decision to leave Lyon this summer, and was attracting interest from clubs in Germany as well as other Premier League clubs.
City pushing to complete Cherki deal
Cherki is set be part of a City rebuild with the club already agreeing deals for Wolves left back Rayan Ait-Nouri and Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders. Ait-Nouri completed his medical over the weekend while Reijnders was granted permission to leave the Netherlands camp to undergo his medical earlier this week.
Both players are expected to be in the City squad for the Club World Cup, and Guardiola’s men will hope to add Cherki to that list.
One name who will not be in the squad is club legend Kevin De Bruyne who announced his decision to leave the club this summer and is nearing a move to Italian side Napoli. Cherki is seen a possible like for like replacement for De Bruyne although he can also play on the wing.
Several of City’s big name players could follow De Bruyne through the exit door, with the futures of Jack Grealish, Bernardo Silva, and Mateo Kovacic all uncertain.
