West Ham United are reportedly leading the race to sign 20-year-old Lyon sensation Rayan Cherki, with Chelsea ruling out a move.
According to a report by TEAMtalk, West Ham United and Chelsea are two clubs that have been linked with Rayan Cherki for a while now. While the Blues have dropped the idea of pushing for his signatures, the Hammers are still keen on having him in their ranks.
Cherki has come up the ranks at Lyon, and he made it to their first team back in the winter of 2020. He slowly started making a mark in senior football and attracted a lot of interest. Quite a few clubs were interested in signing him back in the summer, but nothing materialised.
The 20-year-old was expected to have a major role in Lyon’s first team this season. While he has had his share of opportunities, the French youth international has failed to fire. In his 14 appearances, he has only managed one goal contribution, which is not good enough.
Cherki is not the only one struggling, as Lyon as a club are in the doldrums. Despite having one of the strongest squads in Ligue 1, they will have to fight for their survival as they are currently bottom of the points table. The club are expected to undergo a major overhaul in the winter, which will see quite a few departures.
Rayan Cherki is one of the players that will be shown the exit door. While Lyon were looking to make big money from his sale in the summer, that is unlikely to happen in January given his recent form. According to the report, the French club will let him leave for a fee of £25 million plus add-ons.
West Ham and Chelsea were both interested in Rayan Cherki during the summer. His price tag suggests the Hammers will return for his services as David Moyes seeks attacking reinforcement. He wants more creativity and Cherki can surely help their cause.
But, Chelsea are no longer interested in the 20-year-old. They wanted to sign him back then but have now shifted their focus towards other targets as they look to add more quality to an already strong squad.
