Manchester City have ignited their summer transfer window with a bang, securing the first of three anticipated major signings for the 2025-26 season. The club has finalized a €40m deal to bring Lyon’s dynamic playmaker Rayan Cherki to the Etihad Stadium, marking a significant step in their mission to reclaim dominance after a trophyless 2024-25 campaign. The 21-year-old Frenchman, hailed for his versatility and flair, has signed a five-year contract, with the transfer fee comprising €36m fixed and €6m in performance-related add-ons, alongside a 15% sell-on clause. This acquisition signals the start of a transformative rebuild under Pep Guardiola, with two more high-profile signings reportedly in the pipeline.
Cherki’s arrival comes at a critical juncture for Manchester City, who endured their worst season in nearly a decade. Finishing third in the Premier League with just 71 points—the lowest under Guardiola’s tenure—the club also suffered early exits in the Champions League and domestic cups. The departure of club legend Kevin De Bruyne, who left as a free agent in the summer, left a gaping hole in the midfield, compounded by an aging squad and injuries to key players like Rodri. Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak admitted, “Last summer we probably should have been more aggressive in some of the changes we needed to do,” a sentiment echoed by Guardiola’s acknowledgment that he had been too loyal to his core group of players. Cherki’s signing is a bold response, aimed at injecting youth, creativity, and energy into a squad desperate for reinvigoration.
The young playmaker, capable of operating as a winger or attacking midfielder, has been a standout at Lyon, earning praise for his ambidextrous dribbling, pinpoint passing, and goal-scoring instincts. Despite interest from rivals like Arsenal and other European giants, City moved swiftly to secure Cherki, whose contract was set to expire next summer. His versatility makes him a natural fit for Guardiola’s fluid system, where he could fill the creative void left by De Bruyne or compete with wingers like Jeremy Doku and Savinho. “We have spoken about the squad situation,” Guardiola said recently, hinting at the club’s proactive approach in the transfer market. Cherki’s medical is scheduled imminently, with expectations that he’ll be ready to debut at the FIFA Club World Cup in July.
City’s transfer activity doesn’t stop with Cherki. The club is reportedly closing in on two additional signings to bolster their midfield and defense. AC Milan’s Tijjani Reijnders, a 26-year-old Dutch international, is nearing a £46.3m move to the Etihad, with his medical reportedly set for this week. Praised by Milan coach Sergio Conceicao as a “world-class player” who “provides the team with multiple solutions in midfield,” Reijnders’ box-to-box dynamism will add the energy City lacked last season. Meanwhile, Wolves’ left-back Rayan Aït-Nouri, a 23-year-old Algerian star, has also been confirmed as a €40m signing. Aït-Nouri, thrilled to join “one of the biggest clubs in the world,” will address City’s long-standing need for a specialist left-back, especially after Guardiola resorted to deploying midfielders like Matheus Nunes in the role last season.
The trio of Cherki, Reijnders, and Aït-Nouri reflects City’s new direction under incoming sporting director Hugo Viana, who replaced Txiki Begiristain in April. Viana, credited with Sporting CP’s transfer market success, is tasked with refreshing an aging squad while maintaining City’s financial health, bolstered by a £195.9m profit over the past three years. The club’s January signings, including Omar Marmoush and Nico Gonzalez, laid the groundwork, but the summer window is shaping up to be a game-changer. With Jack Grealish’s future uncertain and interest in players like Morgan Gibbs-White and Florian Wirtz, City are leaving no stone unturned in their quest to return to the top.
As the Club World Cup looms, City’s new-look squad is taking shape. Cherki’s arrival, coupled with the imminent additions of Reijnders and Aït-Nouri, signals a clear intent to restore the hunger and dynamism that defined their four consecutive Premier League titles. Fans are buzzing with anticipation, and with Guardiola’s tactical genius at the helm, this revamped Manchester City side could be poised for a triumphant return to glory.
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