Man City eyeing £25m swoop for Lyon talisman Rayan Cherki after calling off Florian Wirtz pursuit

According to a report from The Telegraph, Manchester City are determined to sign Lyon sensation Cherki this summer after missing out on Wirtz. The former has already announced his decision to leave the Ligue 1 giants at the end of the season, and City want to pounce on the opportunity to sign the promising young attacking midfielder in a bargain deal.

Cherki is viewed by City as a cost-effective option to strengthen their midfield amid a summer rebuild. With Kevin De Bruyne departing and Jack Grealish’s future uncertain, head coach Pep Guardiola is prioritizing creative reinforcements. The Sky Blues were keen on closing the signing of Wirtz and had also initiated early contact, but ultimately pulled out of the race after realising that the financial costs of the entire operation would put a significant burden on the club. He is now tipped to sign for Liverpool, who have tabled a bid worth more than €100m (£85m).

Cherki, on the other hand, offers a tantalising prospect, in that he can be signed for a considerably lower fee. Indeed, the 21-year-old has a release clause reportedly between £20-25 million (€25-30 million).

City are expected to undergo a major squad overhaul this summer after what was arguably the worst season in the Guardiola era. The Premier League giants are believed to be in advanced stages of negotiations for AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, not to mention that they have also been linked with Nottingham Forest superstar Morgan Gibbs-White.

It's guaranteed that Cherki will depart Lyon this summer, but his next destination remains uncertain. While Manchester City have shown interest, Manchester United have also joined the race for the highly sought-after midfielder. With his future still up in the air, Cherki’s next move could spark a bidding war as clubs from across Europe compete for his signature.