Rayan Cherki drops transfer hint after Liverpool meeting - 'I've been spat on a lot internally'

Rayan Cherki

Rayan Cherki has confirmed he will leave Lyon this summer after holding talks with Arne Slot last week.

The 21-year-old met with the Liverpool head coach as the Reds honoured a meeting that had been arranged before they ramped up interest in Florian Wirtz.

The German is the only attacking midfielder for whom Liverpool have tabled an offer, with Cherki instead one of a number of backup options had the Leverkusen player not been receptive to the approach from the Reds.

A fee has not yet been agreed with the Bundesliga outfit, but all parties are still confident a deal will be finalised this summer.

Man City are now considered favourites to sign Cherki from Lyon, having previously withdrawn from the race to sign Wirtz.

Cherki previously saw moves to Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund collapse last summer, as the player started the Ligue 1 season on the sidelines.

He would go on to play a starring role for Lyon over the campaign, returning 12 goals and 20 assists from 40 appearances, with such form earning him a senior France call-up this month.

The 21-year-old could make his international debut against Spain on Thursday night.

And speaking ahead of the game, he defended himself after last year’s transfer sagas as he talked up the possibility of leaving Lyon this summer.

"All possibilities are credible,"

"But there are two important matches with the French team (in the Nations League).

“When the question comes up, I'll ask it. It won't affect the start of my training camp. I'm not looking at what's happening elsewhere.

"It always comes back to the same thing: I'm a human being. I could have made other choices, gone to Paris Saint-Germain directly and very early in the transfer window, without even talking to Dortmund.

“But that's part of my story, part of my stages. It was also my first big transfer window, where I learned a lot, thought a lot. Today, I'm ready.

"Everyone forgets that. It still makes me smile. It shows that football can be thankless, in the sense that I gave everything to the club.

“I signed my first professional contract there despite requests, I extended my contract several times and I always gave my word not to leave on a free.

“And despite that, in return, some tried to hurt me... But I never gave up. I knew where I wanted to go.

“Now I’m careful. I know what I went through last summer. It wasn’t easy for me, and I’m not forgetting what I went through.

“I started the season in the loft, but I never betrayed the club. I gave everything for the club.

“It hasn’t been an easy season, I’ve been spat on a lot internally, and a lot of bad things have been said about my entourage. But I’m the only one who makes the decisions.

“I’ll see where the wind takes me. I’m proud of the whole team, proud of what I’ve done at Olympique Lyonnais.

“I’m not forgetting anyone, all the people who have helped us on a day-to-day basis, the stewards, Jean-Michel Aulas who has been the precursor of many things, John Textor in spite of everything.

“Thank you all, thank you to the coaches. I’ve fulfilled so many dreams here”