Liverpool have got a huge boost in their efforts to find a replacement for possible Luis Diaz.
The French club is in a severe financial crisis, with debts of nearly £500 million, which has resulted in their provisional relegation to Ligue 2 and a transfer ban.
This will force the club to sell some of its best players in order to raise the necessary funds to avoid provisional relegation. Among those is Rayan Cherki, who is perhaps one of the best players at the club.
Cherki has been repeatedly linked with a move to the Merseyside club and although the interest has never evolved into definitive talks, they could now have a chance to do so.
Lyon give Rayan Cherki the green light to leave amid Liverpool links
According to The Sun, the young Frenchman has now reached an exit agreement with Lyon who have now given him the green light to seal an exit in the coming summer.
However, the Reds will face severe competition for his signature with a number of clubs interested in signing him, including Tottenham, Bayern Munich, Crystal Palace, and Fulham. Borussia Dortmund are also going to be in for him, having failed in an attempt to sign him in January.
Cherki, a standout product of Lyon’s prestigious youth academy, is considered one of their most gifted prospects.
Since making his senior debut in 2019, he has earned a reputation as a highly-rated versatile attacker. His contributions in European competitions, including setting the record as the youngest player to appear in a UEFA Champions League semi-final, underscore his potential.
So far this season, he has made 34 appearances across all competitions, recording 8 goals and 18 assists, taking his overall club tally to 25 goals and 42 assists in 175 appearances.
Cherki has been compared with Lionel Messi
He has making waves in France with his performances, with Kylian Mbappe among others praising him for his outstanding talent.
Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas also hold his player in high regard, having compared him with Lionel Messi in the past. Aulas told Telefoot (via The Mirror):
“Cherki is comparable to (Lionel) Messi in terms of technical quality, indicating that Lyon holds their talented starlet in unequivocally high regard.”
