Chelsea learn asking price for 20-year-old Ligue 1 star

Chelsea learn asking price for Olympique Lyon star Rayan Cherki

It feels like Rayan Cherki has been around in the footballing circuit forever and yet, he is still only 20, as he courts interest from Chelsea and other top clubs in the world.

Cherki, the talented Frenchman who plays his football for Olympique Lyon in France is undoubtedly considered one of the rising ballers in Ligue 1. His performances for the historic French giants has been nothing short of sheer magic and it is easy to understand why he has so much interest.

The reason why Cherki might be attracting so much interest could be down to the fact that he has a contract that expires in 2025 and he is yet to renew his deal. This would mean that he is moving towards a lower asking price every single day and top European clubs will not want to miss out.

According to Spanish publication Fichajes, the Frenchman is said to be on the radars of Premier League giants Chelsea and upcoming side, Newcastle United. These are not the only two teams courting Rayan Cherki though and there are said to be many more.

There has also been talks about a move to Real Madrid but not much is known about it. All this comes on the back of a revelation that Lyon are asking for just 25 million euros to part ways with their prodigy and this isn’t that high a fee in today’s market.

The 2003-born attacking midfielder is someone that Mauricio Pochettino would like due to his ability to be a joker card and fill in where required. Predominantly a number 10, Cherki can play on either wing and can also play as the central forward in a false-nine setup.

This season, Cherki is yet to really hit the ground running in terms of stats with no goals and just one assist from 10 Ligue 1 appearances, 70% of which have been starts. That said, even without the numbers, he tends to bring a lot to the table and that cannot be measured.

At Chelsea, the number 10 does not exist explicitly in the setup but we do play with two #8s who love to get forward to the edge of the box and function as #10s. Considering the fact that we have bombarding fullbacks on both flanks, we can also afford to play with an inside forward like Cherki.

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At the price that Lyon are quoting, signing Cherki is a no-brainer. However, with so much competition and the fact that we have an overflowing squad, the Frenchman might choose to explore better avenues where he is assured more game time.