Rayan Cherki ‘wants to transcend’ in the Premier League, says Pep Guardiola | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has handed out a glowing report on Rayan Cherki and the first impressions of the Frenchman at the Etihad Stadium.

Cherki emerged as one of the hottest attacking midfield prospects in Europe heading into the summer transfer window following a breakthrough 2024-25 campaign at Lyon, scoring 13 times and providing 21 assists in 48 appearances across all competitions last term.

The 22-year-old attracted widespread interest from the Premier League but Manchester City won the race to sign the France international, who scored a stunning strike from distance on his senior international debut in a thrilling 4-5 defeat to Spain in the UEFA Nations League in June.

Kevin De Bruyne was let go by Manchester City this summer and Tijjani Reijnders has since assumed the role of architect-in-chief, mesmerising on his premier appearance in English football in the Blues’ 4-0 thumping of Wolves at the weekend.

However, having taken the number 10 jersey at the Etihad Stadium, expectations are high when they come to Cherki, who wasted no time in introducing himself to the Premier League at the Molineux Stadium at the weekend either.

Less than 10 minutes into coming on in the second half, the Frenchman played a give-and-go with Nico O’Reilly and slotted a perfect weak-footed shot from distance past Jose Sa into the bottom corner, with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola delighted with what he has seen from Cherki since his arrival from Lyon.

Speaking in a new, exclusive interview with Men In Blazers, Guardiola has issued a glowing report on Cherki, having been left hugely impressed by the Frenchman’s use of the ball with both feet in particular.

“He (Cherki) is an incredibly talented player, his use of the ball with both feet is top,” Guardiola raved about his £34 million summer signing.

“We know him (Cherki) a little bit from Lyon, but now we have to start to know eachother, knowing exactly what we want, what we have to do.”

Having impressed in his first set of Manchester City appearances at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, Cherki ran the show for City in their 3-0 pre-season triumph over Palermo in Sicily a few weeks ago.

After scoring on his Premier League debut at the weekend, the France international will be eyeing a first start in sky blue is not far away as Manchester City welcome Tottenham to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

Guardiola added: “And I have the feeling that his (Cherki’s) mindset is he wants to transcend, he wants to become a good player for us, and a good player for the Premier League.

“Always when we sign a player, that is what I’m looking for; this desire, passion. We need players that want to continue the legacy of the old names, continue to be up there.”