Pep Guardiola has described Manchester City forward Rayan Cherki as one of the most talented players he has ever seen, comparing his natural ability to that of Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta and Xavi Hernández. The 22-year-old Frenchman, who joined from Lyon for £30.5m in June, has made only seven appearances due to injury but impressed in a brief cameo against Everton at the weekend.
Speaking ahead of City's Champions League clash with Villarreal, Guardiola urged patience with Cherki, acknowledging that the forward must adapt to the team's structure. 'Rayan is one of the huge stars I have ever seen in my career,' Guardiola said. 'Technically and individually he is top. The question is how he settles and what we are going to do, how he reads the game.'
Guardiola praised Cherki's street-player mentality and his ability to improve situations with the ball. 'Not all the time he has to make exceptional things, he has to play just football. But he has something,' the manager added. 'He is a guy that doesn't feel the pressure when going to get the ball. He's like a street player.'
Guardiola also spoke highly of midfielder Nico González, who is expected to start against Villarreal in place of the injured Rodri. 'I have the feeling that Nico is getting better and better. We are really pleased with his behaviour and he will get better year by year,' Guardiola said.
Reflecting on City's recent form, Guardiola expressed confidence. 'We score a lot of goals, create a lot of chances, and we are not conceding much. I have incredible confidence in the players,' he concluded.
