Rayan Cherki set to renew his contract with Lyon until 2027

Olympique Lyonnais forward Rayan Cherki is set to renew his contract with his boyhood club until 2027 (according to L’Équipe).

The reports state that the player and his entourage will meet with Lyon today to finalise an agreement. Cherki’s current deal runs out in June 2023. 

Lyon sent a proposal to the 18-year-old and set a deadline for this weekend to receive a response as they do not want to lose him for free. 

Cherki wanted guarantees that he would get game time under Peter Bosz before signing. The decision to delay contract negotiations was about playing time, not money.

Lyon are famous for a talent pipeline that produced Karim Benzema, Samuel Umtiti, Alexandre Lacazette, Hatem Ben Arfa, Frederic Kanoute, Corentin Tolisso, Anthony Martial, Nabil Fekir and many more.

However, they have been losing their talented prospects to rivals. Amine Gouri and Melvin Bard who both joined Nice immediately spring to mind. They are keen to avoid the same with Cherki.

Real Madrid were reportedly interested in the player, but they will have to shelve those plans until further notice.

The versatile youngster who was discovered as a seven-year-old while playing for AS Saint-Priest is one of the rising stars of French football. In his four games for France U21, he has scored four goals.

Cherki became the youngest player to score in the UEFA Youth League at the age of 15 years and 33 days in a 4-1 win over Manchester City in September 2018.

He has scored nine goals and assisted 11 more for Lyon in his 63 senior appearances at the club. He played 16 games last season despite an injury in the second half of the campaign. 

Cherki will be hoping for more game time this season when Lyon begin their 2022/23 Ligue 1 campaign against newcomers Ajaccio.