Pep Guardiola says he has been “really surprised” by Rayan Cherki, the 22-year-old who joined Manchester City from Lyon for £30m in the summer and has quickly become one of the most eye-catching players in the squad.
The City manager called Cherki “one of the most unbelievably talented players I’ve ever seen,” praising the way he stays calm in difficult moments and under heavy pressure. Guardiola said the midfielder’s first season in the Premier League has already brought assists, goals and the kind of appetite to play that shows up when he gets angry at being left out because he wants to help the team.
That praise comes after Cherki began to deliver on the promise that drew City to him in the first place. In recent weeks, he has also shown a streak of showboating against Arsenal and Liverpool, underlining why Guardiola sees him as more than just another attacking option.
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The City manager said he hopes Cherki stays at the club for longer, saying the Frenchman has the attributes to become a player for one of the top teams and that he needs to stay humble and keep working for the side over time. Guardiola added that Cherki is “a little bit of a free soul,” with the ability and quality to make things happen in the final third.
Questions had been asked about Cherki’s attitude before his move from Lyon, but there has been no sign of that becoming an issue in Manchester so far. Guardiola’s comments also point to the role City have in mind for him: close to the final third, where he can assist, shoot and score. The manager even drew a line to the kind of attacking influence once provided at City by Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva, the sort of players who could shape matches from the same part of the field.
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For now, Guardiola is asking for patience as much as brilliance. Cherki’s talent is obvious, but City’s manager made clear that the longer-term test is whether a player with so much freedom can keep doing the hard work that top teams demand.
