Revealed: Rayan Cherki rejected Manchester United transfer approach | OneFootball

Manchester City’s firing No.10 rejected a transfer proposal from Manchester United earlier on in his rapid football development, it has been revealed.

The 22-year-old has been a revelation at the Etihad Stadium since his £34 million move from Ligue 1 last summer, becoming the creative heartbeat of a side currently hunting down a historic domestic Treble.

His technical wizardry and street player-like flair have made him an instant fan favourite, yet the narrative could have been remarkably different had the red half of Manchester secured his signature years ago.

Cherki continues to play a key role in Manchester City’s ongoing pursuit of English football’s biggest prize, particularly following Wednesday’s hard-fought 1-0 win at Turf Moor, which propelled Pep Guardiola’s side back to the Premier League summit.

And as Manchester City fans celebrate returning to the top of the table for the first time since the earliest weeks of the season, the fact that their star creator previously snubbed their fiercest rivals only adds to the positive mood around the creative midfielder.

How Manchester United failed to land Cherki

According to talkSPORT, Rayan Cherki not only had a trial at Chelsea as a 12-year-old in 2015 before opting to stay at Lyon, but also saw Manchester United show a strong interest in his services before Old Trafford bosses made the teenager a proposal.

That offer came whilst the now-France international was at Under-15 and Under-16 level, although Cherki ultimately preferred to start his career at his boyhood club in France and make his senior Lyon debut in 2019.

Cherki’s role in City’s final title charge

With only five games remaining in the 2025/26 campaign, Rayan Cherki’s focus remains firmly on the silverware currently within Manchester City’s reach.

Having leapfrogged Arsenal on goal difference – both sitting on 70 points – the Blues now prepare for an FA Cup semi-final showdown against Southampton this Saturday, where Cherki’s creativity will once again be vital to success.

Should Manchester City maintain their momentum, the French international’s market value is expected to skyrocket further, although there is unlikely to be any appetite from within the Etihad Stadium to entertain a move away for the talent any time soon.

For Manchester United, watching Rayan Cherki pull the strings for their rivals will undoubtedly be a bitter pill to swallow as they sit 12 points adrift in third place in a chase for Champions League football, and left to wonder what might have been.