Fulham are reportedly eyeing a summer move for highly-rated Lyon playmaker Rayan Cherki.
The Cottagers attempted to sign the Frenchman late in the January transfer window with a club-record £35million deal. But the young playmaker could not arrive in the Premier League despite late efforts to leave Lyon.
According to The Sun, Fulham are keen to revive their interest in Rayan Cherki when the transfer window reopens in the summer. They will make a second attempt to do business with Lyon for the youngster, who has been at the Ligue 1 club since 2010 after joining as a kid.
Cherki, 20, has gone on to rack up 123 first-team appearances for Lyon, scoring 15 goals. But the midfielder, who is eligible to play for either France, Italy or Algeria, is yet to open his account this season with Lyon struggling in Ligue 1. They sit 15th in the table, just a place above the dreaded relegation zone.
Rayan Cherki to Fulham—Right option?
Fulham made just one signing during the winter transfer window, with Marco Silva pouncing to land Armando Broja on loan from Chelsea. The West London side have struggled to score goals consistently this season, and the underwhelming performances of Raul Jimenez, Rodrigo Muniz and Carlos Vinicius prompted the club to sign Broja on the transfer deadline day.
While signing a striker in the summer has to be a priority for Marco Silva, a creative midfielder should also be on his agenda. Rayan Cherki may have not set the Ligue 1 alight this season but Fulham’s interest in signing him during the past winter window shows they are looking to add more creativity and guile to their midfield setup.
Willian has performed very well for the Cottagers but he turns 36 in the summer, so the time would be right to replace the ageing Brazilian with someone like Cherki. The French youth international can operate in multiple positions across midfield and attack, and he could provide dynamism, flair and vision to this Fulham side that relies heavily on counter-attacking style of football. He has the tools to develop into a top-class creative midfielder in the coming seasons, and a club like Fulham could certainly benefit from his skill set.
Barring Andreas Pereira, the west London side doesn’t have a natural No.10 in their ranks. In Cherki, they could get a player who can operate in tight spaces, link up play, create chances in the final third and score goals too. At 20, the Frenchman would be an excellent long-term investment for Fulham.
The opportunity to play in the Premier League will be an exciting prospect for Cherki, and he will be attracted to the idea of joining a club like Fulham. So, the Cottagers must do everything possible to sign the gifted French youth international in the summer.
