Rayan Cherki is expected to find out as much success in Manchester City as Kevin de Bruyne by Gaël Clichy.
The former left side of City led to the outstanding attacking midfielder when he played with the French team under 21 and gave a particular overview of what he could bring to the Pep Guardiola team. He also underlined the aspect of his game which he must improve to shine fully at Etihad Stadium.
Clichy greets Cherki's potential under Guardiola
Cherki scored during his beginnings for City against the Wolves after her transfer from Lyon for 30 million pounds Sterling ($ 40 million) this summer, but he was injured in his second match against Tottenham, putting him off for two months. And Clichy, who played for City between 2011 and 2017, is convinced that the midfielder can be a major asset for the Guardiola team.
Clichy told Goal, via Betmgm: “If we talk about the quality of the player, I have never seen someone so good. It is an important quote, but I think that if he manages to improve his game without the ball, we could speak of a player capable of reaching the statistics of Kevin de Bruyne, because in restricted spaces, in key areas on the ground, he can create danger. And that's what we are looking for in City. Faced with a team with a low block with a defense at five, there are few spaces. So you have to have quality on the wings, which is a bit lacking in City, I think. You know, we go from Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez and Leroy Sané who, for me, as a side arrival, were a nightmare to face. I think they lost that. »»
The Manchester City star still has a margin of progression
In addition to congratulating Cherki, Clichy underlined an aspect of his game which must be improved. He explained: “He will have to demonstrate that he is efficient without the ball, without possession. Because we know that is his problem. It is his weakness. It was his weakness when he was with us in France. So far, from what I have seen in England, that's what people think of him. So, if Pep manages to propel him to a higher level without possession, I think he will be a great player for City. And I think it's the kind of player that Pep is looking for. In the Premier League, it is not only a question of having the ball, but also of managing the transitions. And that's where Pep has a big challenge. »»
Clichy was also impatient to see how the new City recruit, Gianluigi Donnarumma, could improve the team, even if his guardian profile is different from that of Ederson and that he differs from the guards whom Guardiola previously favored, like Manuel Neuer and Victor Valdés. He said: ” I find that it is an incredible recruitment. A goalkeeper is above all there to make stops, and it is the kind of player who will make big stops in the big games. So I understand that some say that PEP goes against his own philosophy, but it is a guardian who has just achieved a hat -trick during an unprecedented season in France, with a Spanish coach who shares the same philosophy as PEP. And if Luis Enrique managed to do it with Donnarumma, I'm sure Pep will find a way to work with him. »»
