Manchester City have completed the signing of French attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki from Lyon. The 21-year-old joins the Premier League champions on a five-year contract, which runs until 2030.
The initial transfer fee is £30.45 million. Cherki becomes eligible to play for City at the upcoming Club World Cup, which starts in the United States on 14 June.
After making his senior debut for Lyon in October 2019 at the age of 16, Cherki went on to feature in 185 matches, scoring 29 goals and providing 45 assists. He also made his senior international debut for France last week, coming off the bench in their Nations League semi-final defeat to Spain, where he scored once and registered an assist.
A dream move for the young talent
Speaking after completing the transfer, Cherki described the opportunity as a dream come true. “To join a club like Manchester City and take the next step in my career is something incredibly special,” he said.
Cherki expressed excitement about working with Pep Guardiola and his staff, saying he has dedicated his life to reaching this level. “I’ve always loved football. The chance to develop here, under this management team, is something I’m eager to embrace,” he added.
He emphasized that the move away from Lyon was not made lightly. “I would only leave Lyon for something I truly believe in. Everything about City shows it’s the right place to grow and succeed.”
A busy week for City’s transfer activity
The signing of Cherki marks Manchester City’s third addition in the span of two days. On Monday, Algeria international Rayan Ait-Nouri joined from Wolves in a £31 million deal. Earlier on Tuesday, backup goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli arrived from Chelsea.
Bettinelli, 33, steps in following the departure of Scott Carson. He had only made one appearance for Chelsea since his move from Fulham in 2021.
Manchester City’s director of football, Hugo Viana, praised the club’s newest midfield signing, saying, “There’s no question he’s in the perfect environment to reach his potential. With our guidance and Pep’s leadership, we believe he can become a top-level player.”
