In recent years, the UNFP trophy ceremony has often been an opportunity for Kylian Mbappé (26 years old) to get some messages across and especially to let go of a few tasty statements on his future in Paris Saint-Germain. Sunday evening, Rayan Cherki (21) followed the footsteps of his friend and elder, who now plays at Real Madrid, offering a more than remarkable media outing. Appointed to obtain the title of best player of the 2024-25 season, the Lyonnais, who had to bow to Ousmane Dembélé (PSG), was questioned about the typical team of the L1 in which he appears alongside Lucas Chevalier (LOSC) and 9 players from Paris Saint-Germain.
“It's a pleasure when we see the good players who are here (to be part of this XI, editor's note). Now I'm going to talk to Bradley: I hope that Aoumane will not score a lot of goals on the last day because we are going to fight with Maghnes (Akliouche) for the title of best passer. But that the best wins “he confessed before responding to the journalist who asked him if he would feel good in such a locker room. “Oh yes, I know them all. Ousmane is a good friend of mine, Bradley too, so necessarily, when you have good affinities on the ground, it also feels outside. If it is a decisive pass for the PSG sports management? I don't know.”
Missed meetings between Cherki and PSG
Words that have made a lot of talk since. On social networks, many OL supporters did not appreciate their response and this door open to the capital's club. Some still have through the throat the departure of Bradley Barcola two years ago. They do not necessarily want to see this pure product of the Academy join an enemy club. A club that has already been linked several times to the blueberry in the past. At the 2023 winter transfer window, Parisians wanted to offer the services of the Lyonnais crack to compensate for the departure of Pablo Sarabia. Despite serious discussions and offers, the Ile -de -France residents, under the leadership of Luis Campos, had failed in their mission.
But they returned to the charge, especially last summer. One year before the end of his contract, Cherki was targeted by Parisians, ready to drop € 15 million (excluding bonus). OL and John Textor agreed. But the player had delayed and gave his priority to Germany and Borussia Dortmund. However, this file did not go to its end and PSG, which did not appreciate being pushed, closed the door. Despite some approaches to foreign clubs, the player born in 2003 had finally stayed between Rhône and Saône, he who was a time dismissed before finding a place in the group after having extended his contract until 2026, with an option for an additional year if he never changes clubs during this 2025 offseason.
Priority is elsewhere
And it's no secret, his departure is expected this summer, after his best season in the Rhone jersey. Indeed, the native of Lyon scored 8 goals and issued 10 assists in 29 league appearances. If we are interested in his statistics for all competitions, the one who is flirted with France, Algeria and Italy has a balance sheet of 12 goals and 19 assists in 43 games. Last winter, we revealed to you that OL had set its price at € 30 million. Some sources, they were talking to us in an amount between 30 and 35 M €. English stables, including Liverpool, as well as Bayer Leverkusen were in particular. We also told you that PSG was in pole with the Reds last December. A few months later, where are we in this file?
According to our information, PSG does not make Cherki its priority. The club wants above all to recruit an experienced environment and a central defender. In the event of departure in the attacking sector, recruitment could be possible. But this is not at all the trend at this hour. For his part, Rayan Cherki has several courtiers at his feet. But at a time when we write these lines, the trend is rather to join the Premier League, where several stables are seduced. Liverpool, who pleases the player, is still there. In Germany, Borussia Dortmund does not let go. But if the BVB does not qualify for the next Champions League, it will be very complicated to attract it to its nets. Finally, he appears in the list of players targeted by Bayer Leverkusen to replace Florian Wirtz. Xabi Alonso also appreciates his profile a lot, but he will not have a hand on recruitment in Real Madrid. At the same time, on the Lyon side, where John Textor recently rabiboche with Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, some sources let us know that in view of the club's situation, we cannot exclude anything concerning the player, for which the door is open. Business to follow …
