Manchester United and Newcastle United are reportedly both keeping a close eye on the situation of Lyon attacker Rayan Cherki.
The 20-year-old has long been regarded as a future Ballon d'Or contender since breaking into the Gones first team at the age of just 16 in 2020.
Cherki has already made 112 appearances for Lyon, scoring 14 goals and setting up 17 more, including four goals and six assists from 34 Ligue 1 contests in the 2022-23 campaign.
The playmaker also boasts a staggering 11 goals and six assists from 18 appearances for France's Under-21s, but he has disappointed in the early portion of the 2023-24 season with Lyon, who remain without a win 11 games into the new campaign.
Cherki registered his first goal contribution of the season on Sunday, coming off the bench to set up Skelly Alvero's equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Metz after being left out of the squad for their postponed clash with Marseille.
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Newly-appointed Lyon boss Fabio Grosso had previously told the media that Cherki was not a "special player" when asked about the youngster's game time, saying: "I was aware of Rayan Cherki before his performance in the Espoirs match. He possesses extraordinary potential, and everyone hopes he can translate that potential into consistent performance.
"Is he a special player? He's a player; he's not a special player. He's a player like any other, albeit with some additional qualities. But it's not just technical qualities that matter; there are mental and athletic qualities as well. He possesses enormous technical abilities, but he needs to work on the others.
"His destiny is in his hands. He has been blessed with incredible qualities, but he can improve. As we've said before, he is one of those players who needs to progress to fully realise his immense potential. In the end, we make the best choices for the team."
Nevertheless, Football Insider reports that both Man United and Newcastle are casting a watchful eye over Cherki and could battle for the playmaker's signature next year, having admired him for a while.
Cherki signed a new deal with Lyon as recently as April, but the 2003-born Frenchman is only under contract with the Ligue 1 strugglers until the summer of 2025, opening up the possibility of an imminent exit.
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The Red Devils and Magpies allegedly believe that Cherki has the potential and qualities to become a "star in the making", and the France Under-21 international was also tipped to join the youthful Chelsea revolution over the summer.
However, the Blues did not make a move for the Lyon man, allegedly dropping their interest due to attitude concerns as they struck a deal for ex-Manchester City man Cole Palmer instead.
Man United stand to lose two wingers in 2024, as Jadon Sancho's career at Old Trafford appears to be dead in the water amid his ongoing feud with Erik ten Hag, while Omari Forson is out of contract next year, and the Red Devils are yet to make a breakthrough in renewal talks with the 19-year-old.
Meanwhile, Newcastle attacker Harvey Barnes is on the road to recovery from a serious foot injury, but the Magpies are expected to prioritise midfield signings in January due to Sandro Tonali's 10-month betting ban.
Ben Knapton
