Installed as the centerpiece of Manchester City’s game, the French attacking midfielder, Rayan Cherki, has reached a decisive milestone in recent weeks, to the point of establishing himself as one of the main architects of the Citizens’ current dynamic. With ten assists already in the Premier League, the former Lyonnais has repositioned himself in the race for the best passers in the championship. If he still remains at a distance from Bruno Fernandes (18), Cherki is now aiming for a more symbolic objective: to make his mark in the history of the first seasons in England by getting closer to the standards set by Dimitri Payet (12) and especially Juan Mata, author of 13 offerings during his first exercise.
Long slowed down by a more irregular period during the winter, the 22-year-old player was able to reverse the trend thanks to a tactical repositioning carried out by Pep Guardiola. Now used as a number 10 in a more structured system, Cherki enjoys complete creative freedom, which translates directly into his statistics and his influence on the game. As a decisive clash against Arsenal approaches this Sunday, the Frenchman could move even closer to Mata’s record, while strengthening City’s title ambitions.
