Rayan Cherki has special ability only one per cent of footballers have, claims Bernardo Silva | OneFootball

Manchester City’s club captain Bernardo Silva has issued a glowing review of teammate Rayan Cherki in a new interview.

Cherki was one of City’s hallmark signings in the summer transfer window as the Blues prepared for life beyond Kevin De Bruyne, who was allowed to leave the club after a decorated 10-year spell at the end of his contract last season.

The 22-year-old burst onto the scene for the senior France National Team in June as he scored from distance and set up another goal for Randal Kolo Muani in a cameo off the bench to give Les Bleus renewed hope against Spain in the UEFA Nations League, though Didier Deschamps’ troops fell just short in a 5-4 defeat.

Manchester City won a tightly-contested race to secure the services of Cherki, who enjoyed a breakthrough campaign with boyhood club Lyon last term and was one of the most sought-after playmakers in Europe heading into the 2025 summer transfer window.

The Frenchman gave an early peak through the curtain into what Manchester City fans can expect from him in the seasons to come when he starred at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States in June, just weeks into completing a £34 million transfer from Lyon.

Cherki marked his Premier League debut with a well-taken finish from outside the box in a stylish 4-0 triumph for Manchester City against Wolves in August, though an injury he sustained in the days leading to a 2-1 defeat to Brighton kept the attacking midfielder on the sidelines for a few months.

Since his return to fitness in mid-October, Cherki has been a regular starter for Manchester City and has gone from strength to strength with a series of match-winning displays for a squad in transition and still searching for their identity.

Speaking in a new interview with Manchester City’s official chanels, club captain Bernardo Silva has issued a glowing review of one of Cherki, who is one of the most technically gifted players in the first-team ranks at the Etihad Stadium.

“He’s a player who can find passes that 99 per cent of players can’t,” said the Portugal international of the Frenchman.

“He’s a player who tries different things and that’s important – particularly against a lot of teams who play tight against us.

“He’s a good lad too, he’s adapting well and I’m happy for him. He doesn’t need a lot of help. He’s a player with a lot of personality. You don’t need to give him confidence. He’s already got it.”

Manchester City need every bit of quality and leadership they can get at the minute as they look to punch above their weight and fight Arsenal – arguably the strongest side in England – in the title race in the backdrop of a trophyless, indifferent 2024-25 season.