Lyon are determined to resist Chelsea’s interest in Rayan Cherki, despite speculation that owner John Textor may have to sell players this summer to balance the books.
According The GuardianChelsea have reportedly already sounded out Textor over his willingness to part ways with the France Under-21 striker, who is a product of the famed Rhone training system.
Cherki has been named as the potential replacement for Christian Pulisic, who completed his transfer to Milan for 22 million euros after arriving in Italy on Wednesday for his medical. However, Lyon want to keep the 19-year-old. This is despite an announcement this month that the club’s transfer activity and wage bill will be monitored by the Direction Nationale du Contrôle de Gestion (DNCG), the financial watchdog of French football.
Lyon wants to keep it
The measure was imposed after finding financial irregularities in the budget presented by Textor after he took over in December, although it is understood that this does not mean he has to sell players to raise funds.
Apart from Castello Lukeba, the defender who was offered €25m from RB Leipzig this week, and Romain Faivre, the midfielder who is set to join Bournemouth for €13m before to be loaned to Lorient, Textor is not willing to let other players leave this summer. Cherki is valued at around £50million after his contract was automatically extended in April by one year, until 2025.
