PSG's pursuit of Rayan Cherki hits a snag

In its quest for offensive reinforcement, PSG seems to have marked Rayan Cherki as a potential recruit. However, beyond the reportedly complicated negotiations between Nasser Al-Khelaifi and John Textor, competition may be moving faster than Paris Saint-Germain.

After winning a silver medal with the French team at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Rayan Cherki returned to training this week at the Groupama OL Training Center. However, the Lyon management decided to place the 21-year-old in their "loft," alongside Dejan Lovren, Sinaly Diomande, Paul Akouokou, Florent Sanchez, and Amin Sarr.

The idea is to avoid any injury risk for a player who is in the last year of his contract and appears to be on his way out. Nonetheless, Rayan Cherki will follow a physical preparation program. Although the French midfielder has been linked to Paris Saint-Germain since the beginning of the 2024 summer transfer window, the transfer might not be as straightforward as it seems, despite the player's agreement and a tentative deal of around €15 million between the two clubs reached and announced in June.

PSG's pursuit of Rayan Cherki hits a snag

With less than two weeks before the transfer window closes, the operation faces obstacles due to the strained relationship between the two presidents, Nasser Al-Khelaifi and John Textor. Indeed, on the set of L'Equipe du Soir, journalist Loic Tanzi asserts that Lyon’s goal now is to avoid selling to PSG, but the transfer could still happen at the end of the window, given Lyon’s need to part with Rayan Cherki to avoid losing him for free next summer.

In addition to the poor relations between Nasser Al-Khelaifi and John Textor, which could hinder or derail the potential transfer of Rayan Cherki, competition is reportedly entering the fray. According to British colleagues from The Athletic, Fulham has submitted a €14 million offer to Olympique Lyonnais for the 21-year-old Frenchman. This offer is roughly equivalent to the agreement reached and announced last June with PSG.

However, another version of this information is circulating. Santi Aouna, a journalist for Foot Mercato, claims that for Fulham, "the deal has been off for 48 hours." While OL expects movement regarding Rayan Cherki until the final moments of the transfer window, his exclusion in the loft "could prompt interested clubs to try to acquire the French U21 international at a reduced price."

Is the deal with Fulham and PSG off? This is what Abdellah Boulma, a journalist and follower of the capital club, asserts, claiming that PSG will not take any initiative to sign Rayan Cherki. Case closed. The main reason for Paris Saint-Germain is its desire to avoid negotiations with John Textor.