Liverpool to sign Salah replacement thanks to 'gentleman's agreement'

Tom Weber

Updated: 18 Jan 2025 13:26 GMT
4 min read

Mohamed Salah, Liverpool, 2024/25 — © IMAGO

Liverpool can sign Rayan Cherki for €22.5 million this month thanks to a 'gentleman's agreement,' according to a report.

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The Olympique Lyon homegrown is expected to leave the club this year after already coming close to a transfer last summer. Cherki wanted out after a disappointing couple of seasons, but no move materialised and he extended his expiring contract by a year.

With Lyon having been provisionally relegated to Ligue 2, the Ligue 1 giants need to raise funds before the end of the financial year and Cherki is once again one of the prime candidates to leave.

The 21-year-old has been much improved this season and this has attracted the attention of Liverpool, who were heavily linked with him ahead of the January transfer window.

Talk of a move has dissipated in recent weeks due to Lyon reportedly being reluctant to lose him mid-season, but it seems that he could yet leave before the end of the window.

Cherki's gentleman's agreement

According to Sky Germany, Cherki has a verbal 'gentleman's agreement' with Lyon that stipulates that he can leave the club if a bid worth €22.5 million arrives.

So far, Lyon have not received concrete offers for the versatile attacking midfielder, but there is interest from clubs other than Liverpool. Borussia Dortmund, who came close to signing him in the summer, Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich are all monitoring the situation, although a Bundesliga move is deemed unlikely at present.

Liverpool could step up their pursuit of Cherki in light of claims from Saudi Arabia that Mohamed Salah is already '99 per cent' an Al-Hilal player after reportedly receiving an earth-shattering contract offer from the Riyadh giants.

Meanwhile, Matteo Moretto reports that Cherki has been offered to Napoli in recent days, with the Serie A side looking for a replacement for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. This season, the 21-year-old has primarily featured on the right wing, although he can also feature centrally and on the left.