In a recent report, Defensa Central stated that Newcastle United are eager to land Olympique Lyonnais playmaker Rayan Cherki. It has been claimed that the Magpies are eyeing a move to acquire the services of the French attacker during this summer transfer window.
Cherki’s Good Form At The Groupama Stadium Last Season
Cherki had a decent campaign at Lyon recently as he was responsible for putting in a string of productive displays for them on the attacking end of the pitch. The 19-year-old found the back of the net on five occasions and secured six assists in 39 matches for the French outfit last season in multiple competitions.
The Lyon-born talent was a consistent performer in the opponent’s half and deserves a ton of credit for averaging 1.8 shots, 2.0 key passes and 2.3 dribbles per 90 minutes in Ligue 1. He was even careful when distributing the ball in the final third after making 81% of his attempted passes in the French top tier (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at the French club will run out in the summer of 2025. Thus, the Magpies will have to make a convincing offer if they want to lure Cherki to Tyneside in this off-season.
Is Cherki A Decent Fit For Newcastle United?
Cherki is a decent dribbler with the ball at his feet and can make a few dangerous runs with the ball in the opponent’s half. He has got the vision to orchestrate some promising chances for others around him in the final third. The Lyon-born footballer mainly operates in the number ten position but can also play as a winger on either flank if needed.
The French talent can even strike the ball with venom from long range. He can chip in by scoring and creating his fair share of goals but needs to be more decisive in and around the opposition penalty box.
We can expect Cherki to bring more goals and creativity to Newcastle boss Eddie Howe’s attack. He might even help the Magpies challenge for some major honours over the next decade.
At 19, Cherki has still got plenty of time to establish himself as a consistent performer at the highest level. All in all, he will be an excellent fit for the Tyneside club in the long run as long as they can get him on board for a fair price before the start of the new season.
