Player ‘in a rush’ to join Manchester City this summer – Ambition to feature at Club World Cup | OneFootball

Manchester City are seeing one of their primary transfer targets for the ongoing summer market pushing to make a move to the Etihad Stadium as soon as possible.

A deal for Lyon and France international playmaker Rayan Cherki is likely to be the third arrival of the initial summer transfer window opened earlier than usual to allow for business before the FIFA Club World Cup.

The 21-year-old is expected to follow two arrivals through the doors of the Etihad Stadium after Rayan Ait-Nouri successfully completed a medical on Saturday ahead of signing a five-year contract with the club later in the weekend.

Elsewhere and City bosses are expecting to welcome Tijjani Reijnders following the Netherlands’ FIFA World Cup qualifier against Finland, with the Dutchman due to fly into Manchester on Sunday to fulfil medical testing and documentation signing.

That will likely leave Manchester City with around 48 hours to complete a deal for their primary attacking midfield target, should they wish to have Rayan Cherki across the line in time for a debut at the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup.

And according to transfer market insider Fabrizio Romano, Lyon’s Cherki is currently ‘in a rush’ himself to become a Manchester City player, only wanting to join the Etihad Stadium club, and also wants to play at the Club World Cup while ‘pushing a lot’ for a deal.

Speaking to DAZN Football, the Italian journalist continued, “My expectation is over the weekend this is going to get sorted and then the player, early next week, will do his medical and travel with the Man City squad for the FIFA Club World Cup – that’s the mission.”

Fabrizio Romano continued, “Manchester City are in a rush on the player too.”

Any deal to be agreed between Olympique Lyonnais and Manchester City in the coming days is likely to exceed the €30 million mark, after the club saw a tentative initial approach worth around €23 million instantly rejected by the French side.

The opening approach from Etihad officials was in relation to an informal ‘release clause’ established between player and club last summer, but no longer appears to be in place after Borussia Dortmund’s attempts at the same valuation earlier in the year.

Beyond Rayan Cherki, Manchester City are likely to continue their transfer business this summer and are still expected to explore the potential of a new right-back, with Newcastle United’s Tino Livramento the priority target.