Rayan Cherki branded a 'a**hole' by Lyon owner as incredible messages to club president are leaked as he tells Borussia Dortmund to 'f*ck off' in bid to sign young star

Cherki had been linked with a move to Dortmund in the summer and now, journalist Santi Aouna, who works for Foot Mercato, has published leaked WhatsApp messages that have been sent by Textor, seemingly to an executive at a different club, in which he calls Cherki an "asshole". A later exchange shows Textor saying that he will tell Dortmund to "f*ck off" because of their lack of replies.

Cherki is a key player for the French club and has a contract with them until 2026. He has made 13 appearances this season in Ligue 1, scoring three goals and registering three assists, with Lyon currently sixth in the table. It remains to be seen if he will now look to accelerate any potential exit but Dortmund's interest has not been reported since the summer.

Cherki has been briefly linked with Liverpool but it is unclear if they will pursue a move this month. Textor's messages are bizarre, however, and may prompt a conversation with Cherki's camp, whom he insulted.

Cherki's future may have just been plunged into doubt. Lyon play Bourgoin-Jallieu in the Coupe de France on Wednesday.