PSG bid for Lyon prodigy Cherki

Stuart Telford

• 25 Jan 2023 14:09 CST
• 3 min read

Paris Saint-Germain are looking to bolster their attacking options and have made a bid for Lyon starlet Rayan Cherki.

PSG boast perhaps the most potent attacking force in world football in Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar, but their squad depth behind them has grown thinner.

Angel Di Maria left on a free transfer to Juventus in the summer and Pablo Sarabia followed him out of the Parc des Princes exit last Tuesday, joining Wolves in a €5 million deal. With Julian Draxler on loan at Benfica, Paris want more options in the final third.

READ: How Mbappe is pushing Messi away from PSG

Step forward Cherki, who has long been regarded as one of the brightest prospects in French football, but hasn't always been given the chance to prove it at Lyon.

"PSG are trying to activate a transfer for Rayan Cherki," report French sports daily l'Equipe. "According to our information, PSG, in search of a Pablo Sarabia successor, have increased contact with OL in recent days.

"It would be a difficult deal to complete, but undoubtedly one of the most spectacular moves of this January transfer window. Since Sarabia left, Cherki has become a priority transfer."

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RMC go one further, outlining that a bid has in fact been made for Cherki, which was rejected by Lyon. However, with Laurent Blanc not fully trusting him, les Gones could be ready to cash in for the right price.

How good is Cherki?

Cherki is regarded as one of the brightest talents ever to come out of Lyon's academy, which is saying something for a club who produced Karim Benzema, Hatem Ben Arfa and Alexandre Lacazette, and he has torn up the record books in his short career so far.

An attacking midfielder or winger, Cherki was playing with the reserves at 15, made his senior debut at 16, and became the club's youngest ever scorer at 16 years, four months and 19 days of age. He remains the greenest player to play a Champions League semi-final.

Powerfully built but with a deft touch, Cherki is already a France under-21 regular, despite not turning 20 until August. He remains eligible for Algeria through his parentage, and a two-way international tug-of-war is underway for his services.