Real Madrid receive boost in pursuit of French football's Zidane heir

Stuart Telford

• 1 Oct 2023 07:31 CDT
• 3 min read

Real Madrid have long been linked with a move for Rayan Cherki, and now could be the moment to pounce with the youngster being frozen out at Lyon by new manager Fabio Grosso.

Cherki is considered to be the most promising talent to emerge from Lyon's fabled youth academy - quite the claim for a club who have produced Karim Benzema, Alexandre Lacazette and Samuel Umtiti to name a few.

A French No.10 of Algerian descent, the comparisons with Zinedine Zidane are irresistible, and the Madrid legend was reportedly promised the youngster's signature last year if he agreed to return for a third stint as manager.

READ: Zidane tells Real Madrid: sign rising Ligue 1 star and I'll return

Madrid are now reportedly set to appoint Xabi Alonso at the end of the season once Carlo Ancelotti takes the Brazil job, but he might also be gifted Cherki, if Real can beat Paris Saint-Germain to his signature.

PSG and Madrid interested in Cherki

"Cherki is in the spotlight with Lyon at the moment with the problems he is facing," reports Fichajes' Miguel Angel de Miguel Casas. "A January departure is a real possibility with PSG emerging as a possible destination. Real Madrid have also taken note of his situation."

Cherki was trusted by Lyon's former manager Laurent Blanc, with 10 goal-involvements from 34 Ligue 1 games under him last term, but his successor Fabio Grosso has been unimpressed with his efforts in training and benched him for his first game in charge - a 1-0 loss to Brest last Saturday.

READ: How Rayan Cherki has become Lyon's biggest problem

Parallels drawn with Zidane may be quite generous to Cherki for now - the former won the World Cup with France and Champions League with Real, while the latter is only capped up to U21 level, but the early signs are good.

Cherki has averaged 5.41 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes played over the last year, putting him in the top fifth percentile of players in his position by that measure Europe-wide, and dismissing any questions about his decision-making ability.