The athlete to watch | Guardiola's new genius wants to be like CR7... and has already won Zidane over.
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Manchester City has had a season to forget. With a squad full of stars and top-level players, the English side has only been able to lift the Community Shield, a sort of single-match Super Cup. But the truth is that many players haven't performed up to par, and neither has Pep Guardiola , so they've fallen far short of the goals they set at the beginning of the season . All of this boils down to one point: reinforcements .
When a team is unable to compete for the major titles it's vying for, with a squad that has changed little or nothing compared to previous seasons, the reading is clear: the sporting cycle has reached its end . And, for that reason, since last winter transfer window, the Citizens have begun to spend huge sums to sign players across all lines. The message is clear: it's time to sign players to quickly return to winning ways .
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In the middle of last season, they brought in Omar Marmoush (75 million) , Nico González (60), Abdukodir Khusanov (40), Vitor Reis (37) and Juma Bah (6). Just a few months later, and before the Club World Cup begins, City have spent another good handful of euros on four players: Tijjani Reijnders (55), Rayan Aït-Nouri (37) and Marcus Bettinelli (3). But there is also one more signing who is in the spotlight. He is Guardiola's new genius: Rayan Cherki (37 million).
City have spent a total of 350 million to regain their competitive edge. There are players of all styles, positions, and nationalities, but the French midfielder is undoubtedly Guardiola's crown jewel . Many Spanish fans didn't have him on their radar until he scored that amazing goal against Spain in the Nations League, but has had a tremendous season at Olympique Lyonnais ... and it seems like it's just the beginning.
Formed in the youth ranks of ASSP Saint-Priest , it was at a young age that Lyon acquired his services. He was a player who was beginning to gain more than enough attention in France, having played through all the youth categories with the French national team. He made his first-team debut at just over 16 , but it wasn't until the 2022-23 season that he established himself as an undisputed starter for Olympique Lyonnais. In just under three years, Cherki has already shown what he is capable of.
This past season was, without a doubt, Cherki's breakthrough season. Not just in terms of numbers—12 goals and 20 assists—but especially in terms of his sensations . He's a player capable of playing in several positions, all of them attacking. He particularly excels as an attacking midfielder, that position ahead of the pivots and just before the attack, where he shines with his incredible vision , his great final pass, and, above all, his ability to score incredible goals.
And he doesn't just stand out for his prodigious right foot, but for his playing style: "I'm someone who wants to give pleasure, who tries to do beautiful things with the ball without losing effectiveness . I like to dribble and play with joy. I've had many idols, but the one who inspires me the most is Cristiano Ronaldo . His longevity is exemplary, and he's the one I want to emulate," he recently stated. The Portuguese is the mirror he looks up to and the one he'd like to be compared to in the future.
He's only 21, but Cherki has already confirmed what kind of player he is. So much so that Zinedine Zidane himself has repeatedly expressed interest in his situation , as he loves the player and has even recommended him for Real Madrid. But it was City that secured the signing of a ball-playing artist who is set to produce some impressive performances in the coming months. He's the new genius Pep Guardiola needed to restore the City team to greatness.
El Confidencial