- Rayan Cherki joined Man City last summer
- He has 26 G/A this season
- Pep Guardiola has been a big influence
Manchester City forward Rayan Cherki has been discussing his first season at the club, and what it is like to work under Pep Guardiola.
Cherki joined City from Lyon last summer, in a deal worth around £34 million. Since then. He’s already made 51 appearances and has become a key member of Guardiola’s side.
The young Frenchman has scored 11 goals and provided 15 assists in all competitions since making the switch to the Etihad Stadium.
Regarded as one of the brightest talents to arrive in the premier league in recent years, Cherki has con tinued to flourish and develop under Guardiola.
Rayan Cherki praises ‘extraordinary’ Man City boss Guardiola
Speaking in a recent interview with Men in Blazers, Cherki discussed his footballing philosophy, as well as his vital goal against Arsenal in last month’s 2-1 win.
He also praised Guardiola, citing the Catalan coach’s vision of football and how closely the two are aligned on how to play the game.
Cherki said: “It’s about inventing, creating, doing things that nobody else sees or understands – that’s my philosophy!
“Working with Pep [Guardiola] is extraordinary because he has a vision of football that is very similar to mine; always having the ball, always wanting to attack, always wanting to create chaos, so it’s really extraordinary to work with him.”
On his goal against Arsenal, he added: “For me, it was something normal. I was thinking more about my celebration than what I’d just done in the box. I was just enjoying the moment. Enjoying the celebration in front of the Arsenal fans.
“Football is my whole life. I talk about football every day. There’s not a minute when I’m not thinking about football. It’s hard to fall asleep when I put in a bad performance. It’s always been my life. Football is my life, and I hope it stays that way for as long as possible.”
“I hope I can leave my mark on the Premier League in my own way.”
Cherki has become one of City’s key players
Often, it takes new arrivals time to adapt to the Premier League, no matter how talented they are. However, Cherki has hit the ground running at City, and immediately become one of the Carabao Cup winners’ most important players.
Some have said that Cherki is not a ‘typical’ Guardiola player, but that does not seem to matter to the player or manager.
His skill, vision, creativity and attacking threat have been vital to the Sky Blues’ late surge towards the Premier League title.
Cherki has provided goals and assists in key moments, and his influence and importance to build-up play cannot be overstated.
The sky is the limit for Cherki
With how seamlessly he has slotted into the Man City team, it’s easy to forget just how young Rayan Cherki still is.
At 22, the winger is still eligible for the Premier League’s Young Player of the Season award. He would be a worthy winner, but expectation has already catapulted him to a higher level.
If he continues to develop and improve at his current rate, Cherki will very soon become one of the world’s best, if he’s not already.
