Rayan Cherki caught the eye of Chelsea while the Blues were out in Lyon scouting Malo Gusto back in January.
That is according to Football London.
So, what are the details on Rayan Cherki and Chelsea? Let’s take a look…
What’s the story?
Well, it is said that Chelsea are now huge admirers of the French wonderkid, and sent scouts to watch him on several occasions throughout the 2022/23 campaign as well as Gusto.
The Blues ended up signing the right-back in a £26.3m deal.
Now – according to Football London – Chelsea are considering a bid for Cherki as the Blues look to reunite Gusto with his old Lyon teammate.
A separate story from Olympique et Lyonnais claims that Chelsea have also been left impressed by the 19-year-old’s performances at the UEFA Under-21 European Championships, where he recently scored a wonderful goal against Mykhailo Mudryk’s Ukraine.
Respected journalist Simon Phillips has also reinforced Chelsea’s interest in Cherki on Substack, where he claimed that the Blues are exploring whether a deal is possible this summer.
What Cherki could bring to Chelsea
Lyon expert Nicholas Mamo spoke to Football London about the teenage sensation, where he made a very bold claim.
He said: “Cherki is the type of player you give the ball to when your team is looking for a last-minute winner.
“He is the best player from Lyon’s academy in a very long time, maybe since (Karim) Benzema. The fans will react poorly (if he is sold), although the extent of it will depend on the price. If the club do not sell him this year, they will have to extend his contract or sell him next year. That might temper expectations a bit. Either way, Lyon have been preparing for his sale for a long time.”
Of all the young talent hoovered up by Todd Boehly, Cherki has the potential to become the best of the bunch if he does end up at Stamford Bridge.
Be sure to keep an eye on this situation, as anything could happen this summer.
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