Bacary Sagna, a former Premier League star for Arsenal and Manchester City, has identified Rayan Cherki of Manchester City as a future top contender for the Ballon d’Or, awarded to the world’s best player.
«Cherki is special,» Sagna told Oddschecker. «You can see from his playing style that he’s a showman. He plays for all the spectators. He’s someone people come to the stadium to see. They want to see his abilities – and he’s simply fun to watch,» he added.
«He’s a creative player who always plays with a smile on his face. He has the technique to resolve certain situations – and not many players have that ability,» Sagna praised.
Sagna, who played for both Arsenal and Man City during his career, was so impressed by his French compatriot that he believes he can achieve anything. «I believe he can definitely win the Ballon d’Or in the future. Because he still has a lot of time for it, as he’s still very young,» he said about the 22-year-old.
Cherki moved from Olympique Lyon to Manchester City last summer for €36.5 million. In his first season, he has already delivered strong performances for Pep Guardiola’s team.
«You can see that he’s a street footballer. He reminds me of a Brazilian because he can dribble and has great ball control,» Sagna commented.
Borussia Dortmund Also Wanted Rayan Cherki
Borussia Dortmund was also repeatedly interested in Cherki and was close to signing the attacking player. However, his former club Lyon blocked the move, and Cherki was only allowed to leave before the current season. By then, Dortmund stood no chance against the significantly financially stronger Man City.
Rayan Cherki’s Stats in the 25/26 Season:
| Games: | 49 |
| Minutes Played: | 2743 |
| Goals: | 10 |
| Assists: | 15 |