Rayan Cherki Aims for Ballon d’Or, Speaks on Replacing De Bruyne and Defeating United

Even though he is yet to kick a ball for Manchester City, Rayan Cherki is already endearing himself to supporters.

As he stood nonchalantly on the side of a training pitch up in Boca Raton, an hour north of Miami where Pep Guardiola’s squad are being put through their paces at the Club World Cup, it felt like the man bought to in part fill the creative void left by Kevin De Bruyne was laying down some form of manifesto.

This, he says, is the club who can provide a platform for him to win the Ballon d’Or. 

No, he is not replacing De Bruyne because, in the Frenchman’s own words, how can anybody. Oh, and he wants to ‘kill’ Manchester United. Strong words all round and he only spoke for five minutes.

All of this will be music to the ears of City fans and his new employers. Cherki’s arrival from Lyon for an initial £30.4million has prompted the most intrigue in the transfer flurry before this tournament – especially after being captured goading United’s home crowd during April’s historic 5-4 Europa League defeat at Old Trafford. 

United were thought to have been interested in him as a teenager.

‘I didn’t like it when Manchester United won the game against Lyon because I am a Lyonnais,’ he said after a punishing training session in 32-degree heat. ‘Now I am waiting for the game (to) kill them. I just (wanted) to go to Manchester City.

‘When I spoke with Pep and he wanted me – he was very, very clear. That the system, the club, the city is very good. I want to win and I think City wants to win it all. For me that’s better.

‘When you see Rodri, he won the Ballon d’Or here – it’s clear that with City it’s possible and I am here for this.’

There is absolutely no doubt that the 21-year-old will inject more personality into the Premier League. 

He has something of the Phil Fodens about him in the sense of always requiring a ball nearby, Cherki heading over to members of the public along the strip of sand outside their basecamp hotel for a kickabout earlier in the week.

He is here to please, to entertain, to shoot off both feet – equally proficient with either – and be that maverick fans crave. 

There will be some who notice his off the cuff nature and immediately suggest that Guardiola will coach that out of him, pointing to Jack Grealish’s malaise and then ultimate nosedive at the Etihad Stadium. 

Sadly, those detractors haven’t been paying attention to Guardiola’s nine years in charge.

Cherki registered 12 goals and 20 assists in 44 matches last season for Lyon and recently scored a stunning goal in the Nations League on his France debut. Clips of his tricks, first touch and finishing regularly go viral. 

His ability to unlock defences ought to help in a post-De Bruyne world after the Belgian signed for Napoli after the expiration of his contract.

Although the new attacker’s confidence is obvious, he moved to avoid any comparisons and offered insight into how Guardiola plans to deploy his talent.

‘I’m not Kevin de Bruyne – he’s the legend (of the club),’ Cherki added. ‘I’m here to help the team. We have the best players in the world. I work and I wait my turn.

‘I spoke with Pep about my position on the pitch and we spoke about what I enjoy when I’m on the pitch. It’s very good for me.

‘He told me he loves a No10, but now I play all the positions in the pitch – so it’s not complicated because I just want to play.

‘Pep told me, “when you have the ball, you are free” which is very good for me because it’s my first quality to help the team.’

Free is the big word there and over the last 12 months, he has channelled that in a more productive manner. 

Lyon teammates have revealed that Cherki’s work rate off the ball and willingness to help defensively improved significantly and a light switched inside him. Obviously, those are attributes he requires to succeed under Guardiola.

Via outgoing director of football Txiki Begiristain and his successor, Hugo Viana, City will have done due diligence on suggestions that he is difficult to coach. Clearly, they are happy with what they’ve heard.

‘I think I had the best season of my career, managed to make people talk only about good things: my passes, dribbling,’ Cherki said.

‘I don’t hear many people talking about the unfounded criticism I faced. think I took a step forward in all aspects: my efficiency, defensive work, efforts without the ball.

‘Everyone knows my offensive style, dribbling, passing. That’s not what I worked on most, I instead worked on knowing what I wanted to become, which makes the difference.’

Nothing Cherki has offered up about himself will dampen the appetite of fans to watch him play. And actually, only heightened the expectation around somebody a bit different.