Manchester City are now targeting an “unbelievable” attacking midfielder as a potential replacement for Kevin de Bruyne this summer, according to a report.
Man City searching for De Bruyne replacement
De Bruyne’s 10-year stay at the Etihad Stadium is set to come to an end at the end of the season, with Inter Miami among the potential suitors for the Belgian, which means Pep Guardiola will be tasked with bringing in a replacement in the summer window.
A number of targets have already been identified, and one midfielder Guardiola is particularly fond of is FC Barcelona’s Dani Olmo, with City now willing to launch a £50m move for the Spaniard.
Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Larsson, Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze and Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz are also among the targets, although a move for the latter player could be very expensive, with the German side set to hold out for over £100m.
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According to a report from Football Transfers, the Sky Blues remain comfortable financially, but a deal for Wirtz may prove to be out of their budget, given PSR concerns, which means they could make a move for a cheaper alternative.
Lyon’s Rayan Cherki is the player in question, with the 21-year-old set to be available for a fee of just €30m €40m (£26m – £34m), given that his contract is due to expire in 2026, and City are targeting a move.
Lyon need to raise funds, which means Cherki could be sold this summer, and there is a feeling that City could swoop, with Wirtz set to cost as much as €150m (£129m), should the German be available at all, given that he is in advanced contract talks with Leverkusen.
Guardiola could bring in up to five players this summer, with the manager looking to rebuild his squad, and the Lyon star’s availability for a low fee makes him an intriguing option.
"Unbelievable" Cherki likened to Lionel Messi
Lyon are making a late push for the Champions League places, and the attacking midfielder has been key to their success, chalking up a remarkable nine goals and 18 assists in 36 matches in all competitions.
Transfer expert Dean Jones has lauded the young Frenchman as “unbelievable”, while former Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas described him as “comparable to (Lionel) Messi in terms of technical quality.”
Not only that, but the starlet ranks extremely highly across some key attacking metrics over the past year, when compared to other attacking midfielders and wingers.
Statistic
Average per 90
Assists
0.66 (99th percentile)
Shot-creating actions
7.01 (99th percentile)
Progressive passes
9.45 (99th percentile)
Successful take-ons
2.93 (93rd percentile)
Cherki could be available for a fee as low as £26m this summer, and based on his recent performances, a deal in that price range could be an absolute steal.
