Zinedine Zidane looks to have found the version of Rayan Cherki he wants. He has handed the Manchester City player a new role in the heart of the French national team, and Cherki responded with one of his most convincing performances since joining Les Bleus in the win over Turkey.
According to French website "Foot Mercato", Cherki looked a different player under Zidane, deployed in the heart of midfield within a 4-3-3 system after his disappointing showing at the 2026 World Cup.
Against Turkey he produced a balanced display. He didn't settle for creating attacking threat alone, showing notable energy in winning the ball back and sticking firmly to his position without overlapping into the runs of Ousmane Dembele or Michael Olise.
That performance caught Zidane's eye. Speaking admiringly of the player during an exclusive interview with "Telefoot", the coach said: "He is a multi-talented player capable of playing in any position. I think this is what I want from him now, and I believe in his ability to do it."
He added: "We know what he can do with the ball, as well as without it, and in this position he can also defend. He carried out his role excellently, and took part in both the defensive and attacking work. It is a position in which I rate him very highly."
Zidane, it seems, has carved out a new role for Cherki, one that could hand him greater freedom to influence games for France. It draws on his technical ability while demanding the defensive graft the new position requires.