Toulouse
Lyon
These last few months have been complicated for Rayan Cherki. After a summer on the sidelines of the group and a transfer which did not materialize, he had to find a new lease of life. This was achieved thanks to his two goals in four days against Marseille and Olympiakos. Once again at the forefront of the Lyon attack, he will have to confirm this status this Sunday, September 29 in Toulouse.
“He is a very high level player”
On March 15, while Toulouse were leading 2-1 at the Stadium, Cherki entered the 66the minute. He equalized before offering OL’s third goal from a corner to Jake O’Brien for a 3-2 victory.
“When he’s like that, he’s a very high level player. By allowing himself to live on his talent, he is missing out on something”Pierre Sage, the OL coach, commented at the time.
Cherki on transfer list, unsuccessfully
Time flies for Rayan Cherki, 21, who is already playing his sixth season professionally. He has been presented since a young age as a gem from the Lyon training center, which today struggles to produce real talents capable of playing elsewhere than in Ligue 1.
Arriving after him at the highest level, several players left Olympique Lyonnais. Defender Malo Gusto has already been sold to Chelsea for 35 million euros and striker Bradley Barcola for 50 million euros to PSG. For his part, Cherki is still there, although he was placed on the transfer list this summer, without success.
Several destinations have been mentioned for the Frenchman: Paris, Dortmund or even Fulham and Crystal Palace, second-tier English teams. The transaction, hoped for around 15 million euros, for the silver medalist at the Olympic Games this summer was ultimately not concluded.
From “loft” to extension
“He’s a great player. He helped us win important matches and I’m sure he can continueestimated OL president John Textor. I don’t like the idea of selling to PSG, but I wanted to honor his wish, it didn’t work, I don’t know exactly why. If he refuses to go to PSG or Dortmund, he has the right. He didn’t see himself in England either.added the American owner at a press conference on September 11.
Since then, the youngster from the Buers district of Villeurbanne, relegated this summer to the OL “loft”, extended his contract on September 21 until 2027 with still the hope of a transfer next summer.
Cherki finds the net again
The next day, he was in the group to face OM. He seemed to have saved OL from defeat by equalizing (2-2, 90e + 2) before Lyon conceded a third goal (3-2, 90e + 5) who made Cherki explode in front of the microphones of DAZN.
“It’s a shame. They have been ten since 5e minute. We’ve been driving home for years and years and just going backwards. Again and again. We have 3,500 chances, but we are only going backwards. If we want to be a great team, we will have to, when we lead, bury the teams that come to play here”he cursed.
Pierre Sage did not hold it against his attacker for this frustration expressed directly. He started him as playmaker, behind Alexandre Lacazette, four days later against Olympiakos. In this Europa League match won 2-0, he opened the scoring even though his replacement was already planned.
“In this position, he has a lot of freedomadmet Sage. He did not play any preparation matches and he was able to play ten minutes against OM then 60 to 70 minutes in the European Cup, which means that he is not far from being able to play a full match of here about ten days »underlines the coach again.
“His two goals are the result of an evolution”hopes the latter. Enough to perhaps start him again in Toulouse.
This Sunday, September 29 at 3 p.m. on DAZN.
