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Zinedine Zidane is creating a Man City problem - and Chelsea could benefit
3 min read
Analysis
New France manager Zinedine Zidane is determined to turn Rayan Cherki into a more complete midfielder, and this could actually become a problem for Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca.
The 23-year-old has been one of the standout performers for the Cityzens so far in this nascent season, scoring four goals and providing a couple of assists in eight appearances across all competitions.
Perhaps the most naturally gifted star in the Premier League, Cherki is a breed of player that has become quite rare. He is a free spirit, an entertainer first and foremost.
Throughout his career, he has spoken at length about his rejection of the trend of turning players into robots who are devoid of creativity and only worry about keeping clean sheets.
With his boldness and ability to improvise, the attacking midfielder has made himself almost indispensable to City. His unpredictability is his greatest asset, although he is far from the finished product, with his decision-making still needing refinement.
Is Cherki a box-to-box No.8?
New France manager Zinedine Zidane has recognised Cherki's generational talent and seems hell-bent on helping him hone his craft. Curiously, he believes that the best way to do this is by giving the 23-year-old more defensive responsibilities.
Zidane has experimented with Cherki as a box-to-box No.8 in this international break, with mixed results so far. By moving him further away from the goal, his attacking contribution has naturally become more limited.
Cherki has, technically, produced two assists in this break, but neither really warrants mention, considering that both goals were all about Michael Olise's brilliance rather than the simple lay-offs from Man City man.
Cherki started against Italy on Friday and struggled to affect the game in the 76 minutes he played. L'Equipe gave him a middling score of five for his performance.
"He was active throughout the match (91 touches), but lacked creativity and risk-taking. He did, however, win the free kick that led to Michael Olise's goal, which he laid off before the shot, and continued to work defensively in his box-to-box midfield role," the outlet wrote.
In another article, the French publication added: "After a hard-working performance in Turkey, followed by a decisive impact in his brief appearance in Belgium, Cherki delivered a more neutral display this time, but one that was far from ineffective.
"The Manchester City player is developing over time and has the potential to establish himself permanently in this team. There were positives to take from his match, even if nothing was exceptional, particularly when considering what Zidane is looking for by starting him in midfield.
"Being at the heart of the action allowed him to touch the ball more often (91 touches, the highest French total until he was substituted in the 76th minute) and to face the play, but also to be further from the goal.
"However, the former Lyon player is a creative player who was regularly seen playing a simple game against the Italians on Friday night. Like most of his teammates, he was only too rarely able to speed up his team's play and sometimes took far too long to find the right pass."
So far, then, Zidane's experiment has yet to really bear fruit. However, if the France boss is onto something and Cherki's future really lies in a more withdrawn role, this could actually cause an issue for Man City.
The Cityzens broke the bank to bring in three new, high-profile midfielders this summer. Fitting all of them in the same team with Cherki is already an issue, and the problem will only be compounded if it turns out that the Frenchman is better suited to an Enzo Fernandez-style role.
Given the situation that Man City currently find themselves in, this is, admittedly, pretty much a non-issue. They have much, much bigger fish to fry in their battle against possible sanctions for their financial breaches.
Should Man City face a catastrophic punishment, Cherki is likely to be among the players to jump ship. Suitors would certainly queue up to sign the talented 23-year-old, and Zidane's experiment could actually stand him in good stead in that case.
Take Chelsea, for example. They don't need another attacking midfielder, but they do need a player in a more withdrawn role. Could Cherki, bizarrely, be the solution to their problem?
It seems far-fetched, but the Blues are long-standing admirers of the Frenchman. They attempted to sign him before he rocked up at Man City but ultimately pulled out of a deal when Lyon asked for Andrey Santos in return.
If Cherki were to become available, they could reignite their interest - and they would get a more well-rounded midfielder, thanks to Zidane.
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