Manchester City midfielder Rayan Cherki once had a secret trial at Chelsea as a youngster but turned down the move because he found the training 'too easy', according to former Chelsea academy player Miles Leaburn.
Leaburn, now a striker for Charlton Athletic, recalled the Frenchman's trial at Chelsea's Cobham training ground. 'He came over from France and was rainbow flicking guys in training. I was thinking; 'Oh my God, this is incredible'. He honestly rejected playing for Chelsea because he probably found it too easy!' Leaburn told The Sun.
Cherki, then at Lyon, reportedly trained with Chelsea without his club's knowledge. He remained at Lyon, making 146 appearances before joining Manchester City for £32 million last summer. The 22-year-old has since featured 22 times for Pep Guardiola's side and earned four caps for France.
Leaburn, son of Charlton legend Carl, was released by Chelsea at 16 and has since established himself in the Championship with Charlton. He recalled meeting Chelsea stars like John Terry, Fernando Torres, Didier Drogba, and Frank Lampard during his time at the club.
