Rayan Cherki: Man Utd 'FRONTRUNNERS' to sign Messi-like wonderkid

Tom Weber

Updated: 29 Apr 2025 16:12 BST
4 min read

Manchester United are in pole position to sign Lyon wonderkid Rayan Cherki, according to a report.

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The 21-year-old is regarded as one of Europe's most talented and creative attackers. After a few disappointing seasons, Cherki has emphatically bounced back this term and is back to his scintillating best.

STATS

Rayan Cherki

F (R), M, AMC

Lyon

Rayan Cherki

F (R), M, AMC

Lyon

39

Games
12

Goals
18

Assists

Man Utd got a first-hand look at Cherki in their Europa League tie with Lyon, with the Frenchman scoring in both legs. The Red Devils have been linked with him for several weeks, so it is only natural that their interest in him increased after his performances against them.

FootballTransfers previously revealed that Man City are also huge admirers of Cherki, whom they view as a cheaper alternative to Florian Wirtz or, should they manage to raise the funds for the German, as a potential replacement for Bernardo Silva.

Cherki, who has been likened to Lionel Messi and Mesut Ozil, is expected to leave boyhood club Lyon this summer. The debt-ridden French giants have been hit with a provisional relegation to Ligue 2 and still need to raise significant funds to guarantee survival.

Man Utd favourites for Cherki

According to CaughtOffside, Man Utd are the favourites to secure the signature of Cherki this summer, while Tottenham are also said to be well-positioned to strike a deal.

The 21-year-old, it is claimed, will not cost more than €35 million this summer, so suitors feel that he would be an amazing value-for-money signing.

However, it must be said that a move to Old Trafford would come as a surprise considering Man Utd's limited budget. The Red Devils are on the verge of committing to a €73m outlay on Matheus Cunha, who is expected to be utilised as a No.10 by Ruben Amorim.

With Cunha close to joining and Bruno Fernandes still their undisputed best player, there is no obvious need for a player like Cherki, and he would likely struggle for consistent minutes, especially if Man Utd fail to win the Europa League, which would leave them without European football next season.

The Manchester giants are prioritising the signing of a centre-forward, while they also have other pressing issues such as at centre-back, right-back and in midfield. A move for Cherki would, on the face of it, only make sense if Cunha's transfer falls through.

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