Manchester City are poised to finalise the acquisition of a second former Manchester United target this window, in a £70million double swoop. Pep Guardiola has already brought Wolves defender Rayan Ait-Nouri on board, and it now appears that Lyon’s Rayan Cherki is set to join him.
Following a bitterly disappointing season that culminated in a 15th-place Premier League finish and Europa League final heartbreak, this summer’s transfer window is crucial for Ruben Amorim. Matheus Cunha has already been snapped up from Wolves for £62.5m, having netted 15 league goals this season. Another of Vitor Pereira’s stars, Algerian full-back Ait-Nouri, has, however, opted for the sky blue side of Manchester. He was a target for United in the past, and he may not be the only player who once attracted the Red Devils’ attention to make a move to the Etihad this window. Reports indicate that French playmaker Cherki could be heading to Guardiola’s team, with personal terms already agreed upon for the star who was linked with Old Trafford aged 15.
Before his transfer from Angers to Wolves in 2020, the talented Ait-Nouri reportedly caught the eye of then-Red Devils manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
It’s claimed that contact was made between the Manchester club and Ait-Nouri’s super-agent Jorge Mendes, with whom he parted ways last month, and the then teenager even flew to England to visit various training grounds, including those of United and their rivals City.
In the end, both parties missed out on securing young Ait-Nouri, who initially joined Wolves on loan before signing a permanent deal in 2021 for around £15m. At Molineux, the 24-year-old blossomed into an attacking wing-back and has now been snapped up by Manchester City in a five-year deal worth £36m, leaving United to rue their missed opportunity.
A year prior to the interest in Ait-Nouri, Solskjaer had his sights set on another prodigy, Lyon’s Cherki, who was only 15 at the time. The Telegraph reported that the Norwegian manager was keen on bringing the teenager to Old Trafford.
Cherki was considered one of Europe’s top attacking talents in his age group, attracting interest from the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
However, as former coaches Fabio Grosso and Rudi Garcia noted, he grew a reputation for having a difficult attitude, and Cherki chose to stay at the Groupama Stadium.
Despite regular links to top European clubs, he has remained with Lyon since. But this looks set to change, with Sky Sports reporting that Lyon have accepted a £34m offer from Manchester City for Cherki.
Securing the attacking midfielder ahead of the Club World Cup has become a priority for City, while United appear set to miss out on yet another player who could come back to haunt them next season.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk