the Rayan Cherki rocket takes off for the stars!

This was bound to sting his ego. For several months, Rayan Cherki has been constantly called into question. Author of performances considered insufficient, Gone had been relegated behind players like Maghnes Akliouche and Désiré Doué in the eyes of observers and even in the eyes of Thierry Henry during the last Olympic Games. Yet endowed with much greater talent than his two compatriots, the Lyonnais had to chomp at the bit and listen to the criticism towards him. At the same time, its fervent defenders were mocked and the Cherki cause seemed lost to public opinion. Worse still, the ambidextrous man was pushed out this summer by his leaders.

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While his contract expired in June 2025, the OL staff were keen to draw a juicy check for the sale of their 21-year-old prodigy. Finally, despite a few offensives which did not really excite him, the number 18 of Les Gones chose to stay between Rhône and Saône in exchange for a one-year extension plus an optional additional year. A paid choice for crack made in Lyon. Because yes, since his reincorporation into Pierre Sage’s group, Rayan Cherki is surely OL’s best player at the start of the season. Playing his first minutes of the season against OM on September 22, the former AS Saint-Priest stood out with a goal in the final moments which did not prevent Lyon’s defeat (3- 2). Enough nevertheless to establish himself in the starting eleven of Les Gones which he has not left since.

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France Espoirs: Rayan Cherki uncertain for the October rally

Who can stop Rayan Cherki?

Because yes, if Pierre Sage now decided to remove Rayan Cherki from his eleven for a sporting reason, that would be heresy as Cherki has become an indisputable player in the Les Gones squad. Despite tough competition in attack, the silver medalist at the Paris Olympics continues to deliver top-flight performances. Scorer against Olympiakos last week and X-factor of his team against the Greeks, Cherki was the author of a good start against Toulouse the following weekend. This week, the ambidextrous rider performed two more high-flying performances. Against Rangers, his association with Malick Fofana could even force the debate as to whether Lyon did not have one of the best pairs of young players in Europe. While the Belgian was the author of a double, the OL-trained player was in all the good shots and caused misery for the Scottish defense. All while delivering two assists.

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This Sunday, back on his land, the Rhone prodigy did it again. Brilliant and showing that he is one of the best players in Ligue 1 when he is confident, Cherki showed all the colors to the Canaries. While the Vogue des Marrons took place this week on the slopes of the Croix-Rousse in Lyon, the ambidextrous offered several treats this Sunday and delighted the Lyon public. Even though he doesn’t have an assist or a goal to his name, it was from his cross that Nicolas Pallois’ own goal came from. Receiving a standing ovation upon his exit shortly after the hour mark, Cherki drew praise from his teammates like a raved Moussa Niakhaté in the mixed zone: “Cherky? It’s talent that makes the difference (…) When he’s like that, it’s very complicated to stop him (…) I had heard things about him before arriving but it’s not the case. He has an extraordinary mentality. He is a football lover.» And for the love of football, we hope that Rayan Cherki can continue this momentum to make everyone agree on the exceptional player that he is.