Rayan Cherki, the Manchester City playmaker, has been hailed as a 'genius' by former France coach Laurent Blanc and a 'special talent' by Kylian Mbappe ahead of Thursday's World Cup qualifier against Ukraine. The 22-year-old, who joined City for £30m in the summer, scored on his Premier League debut at Wolves in August and has drawn widespread acclaim for his performances.
Blanc, who coached Cherki at Lyon in the 2022-23 season, told L'Equipe: 'He has no technical limitations. His limitations will be more tactical and physical. Physically, I had the pleasure of seeing him again recently; he's changed, and for the better. He's among the best, the very best. If he adapts tactically, he'll have a huge advantage.' Blanc added: 'His talent and genius make him a rare player. He just needs to find a coach who trusts him. And I think he has.'
Mbappe, the France captain, said: 'He's a special talent. For me, he has a gift that he's developing. It's an innate and very spectacular talent. He's integrated very well into the group, just like at Manchester City, where he created a special connection with his teammates and his No.9.'
Pep Guardiola has described Cherki as 'one of the most talented players' he has ever seen, while City team-mate Jérémy Doku called him 'a bit of a street player, he's not afraid of anything.' Blanc, a World Cup winner in 1998, insisted Cherki must be given freedom on the pitch: 'I understand it's difficult for coaches to play him, given the pressure to get results. But yes, he has to be played. And yes, he has to be given freedom. Because I'm convinced that with Rayan, you'll always have a better chance of winning than losing.'
Blanc also noted Cherki's development in consistency: 'What I've observed over these last two years is this continuity, this consistency, this reliability.' He added that statistical data from his time at Lyon showed Cherki was 'involved in the chances' at all stages of attacks. Cherki faces a big season with City chasing Premier League and Champions League glory, followed by the World Cup next summer.
