Borussia Dortmund have been seen as favorites to land French talent, Rayan Cherki from Lyon, after two failed attempts to bring the player to the Signal Iduna Park both last summer and this past winter. He’s been a clear target with the most difficulty coming from attempted negotiations with Lyon majority owner, American billionaire, John Textor, who has been unwilling to negotiate despite agreements he’d made with the player. In addition, Lyon has raised their asking price for Cherki, now to 40 million euros, a higher price than Dortmund has ever paid for a player.
BVB's biggest competition for the 21-year-old’s signature has come from the Red Devils in Manchester United, and Italian outfit, AC Milan. Manchester United can offer Cheri a ripe salary, but not much else as they struggled at the bottom of the English Premier League, and cannot offer any European football next season. AC Milan had a better season domestically, but still finished 8th in Serie A, two places behind the Europe Conference League.
Now, transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano is reporting that Manchester City has turned their sights on Lyon’s Rayan Cherki, and the approach may jeopardize Borussia Dortmund’s plan to revamp their midfield. Manchester City is a powerhouse, which can offer Cherki both a high salary and a place in the UEFA Champions League. In addition, Manchester City has the buying power to out-bid Dortmund for Cherki’s signature.
Cherki had a prolific season in France’s League 1, scoring 8 and assisting 11 in 30 domestic appearances. His preferred position is on the right wing, but he’s able to play on either side as well as a traditional attacking midfield role. His market value sits around 35 million euros according to Transfermarkt.
While I'd love to see this transfer materialize, I can't deny the cards are stacked against Dortmund, even if the club and player both want the deal to happen.