In a recent report, Defensa Central stated that Newcastle United have launched a €20m bid for Olympique Lyonnais winger Rayan Cherki this summer. It has been claimed that the Magpies are eyeing a move to land the French wide player before the start of the new season.
Cherki’s Decent Run Of Form At Lyon
Cherki had an impressive campaign at the French club recently after he produced a series of fruitful performances for them in the final third. The talented teenager scored five times and picked up six assists in 39 appearances for Lyon last season in all competitions.
The 19-year-old caught the eye at times by averaging 1.8 shots, 2.0 key passes and 2.3 dribbles per game in Ligue 1 football. He was even accurate when distributing possession in the opposition half as he completed 81% of his attempted passes in the top tier of French football (stats via whoscored).
The Lyon-born wing wizard’s current deal at the French club will expire in the summer of 2025 which would make it difficult for the Magpies to sign him on a cut-price fee in this ongoing transfer window.
What Will Cherki Bring To Newcastle United?
Cherki is a great dribbler with the ball and has got the ability to get to the byline and cause problems for his marker. He can strike the ball well from long range and has got the eye to play a few decisive passes in the final third.
The French prospect doesn’t give away possession cheaply in the opponent’s half and would be a good fit for Eddie Howe’s style of play at Newcastle United. He is primarily an attacking midfielder but has also played a lot as a winger for Lyon in recent seasons.
We can expect Cherki to bring more firepower to the Tyneside club‘s attack and help them challenge across all fronts in the coming seasons. However, he is still quite young and would need time to adapt to life in Premier League football.
Still, there is no denying that the pros outweigh the cons of recruiting someone with Cherki’s potential, so Howe should focus on going all out to bring him to St. James’ Park during this summer transfer period.
