Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has admitted that it will be difficult for the club to replace Kevin De Bruyne following Rayan Cherki’s debut at the FIFA Club World Cup
The former Lyon star, who moved to England in a deal worth £34million, made his competitive debut for Manchester City in their comfortable 2-0 win over African giants Wydad Casablanca.
Although the France international did not particularly raise the roof with his performance, Pep Guardiola, who admitted it will be difficult to replace the Belgian star who moved to Napoli, believes Cherki will still come out good for the Citizens.
Meanwhile, Cherki’s arrival in Manchester is expected to raise more interest in Manchester City tickets for the forthcoming season.
What Guardiola said about De Bruyne and Cherki
In his post-match reaction after seeing his side beat Wydad on Wednesday, Guardiola said he was happy to see Cherki’s arrival from Lyon and believes he can do many things at the club.
“Of course Kevin is difficult to replace, we know that,” he said. “For the quality he has, there is no doubt about it, but at the same time the club decided on Rayan because he has incredible skills close to the box and great vision, passing in many things.
“It was just a first game with tough, tough conditions. I’m really pleased he came here.”
In an interview with DAZN, Guardiola also added: “Tijjani [Reijnders] played very well, Rayan [Cherki] had good moments. Everyone has to get to know us and see what happens.”
Cherki: I am not Kevin De Bruyne
In an interview before his debut with reporters, including MailSport’s Jack Gaughan from Manchester City’s training base in Florida’s Boca Raton, Cherki instantly rejected the idea that he is the direct replacement for Kevin De Bruyne.
“I’m not Kevin de Bruyne – he’s the legend [of the club]. I’m here to help the team. We have the best players in the world. I work and I wait my turn,” Cherki insisted.
“I spoke with Pep [Guardiola] about my position on the pitch and we spoke about what I enjoy when I’m on the pitch. It’s very good for me. He told me he loves a No10, but now I play all the positions on the pitch – so it’s not complicated because I just want to play, he added.
Rayan Cherki added: “Pep told me, ‘When you have the ball, you are free’, which is very good for me because it’s my first quality to help the team.”
The 21-year-old playmaker also admitted that his last season at Lyon was his best, “I think I had the best season of my career, managed to make people talk only about good things: my passes, dribbling.
“I don’t hear many people talking about the unfounded criticism I faced. think I took a step forward in all aspects: my efficiency, defensive work, and efforts without the ball. Everyone knows my offensive style, dribbling, and passing.
“That’s not what I worked on most; I instead worked on knowing what I wanted to become, which makes the difference.”
No two players are the same, but they could be similar in their play, and that’s what Rayan Cherki is getting the comparison to Kevin De Bruyne. Before both of them. City had David Silva, and he also made his mark in Manchester.
Will Rayan Cherki fill the void left by Kevin De Bruyne?
Rayan Cherki was highly rated in Ligue 1 and comes into a Manchester City side experiencing a rebuild. The 21-year-old attacking midfielder, who made his name at French outfit Lyon, arrives at the Etihad Stadium on a five-year deal.
Cherki, a product of the academy since age seven, made 185 appearances in all competitions for his boyhood club. He made his first team debut in a 0–0 Ligue 1 draw against Dijon in October 2019. Less than four months later, he became the club’s youngest goalscorer following his goal in the Coupe de France.
Like he admitted above, Cherki had the best of his career in the 2024/25 season, as he contributed eight goals and 11 assists in only 22 league starts. He was also key in Lyon’s quarter-final run in the 2024/25 UEFA Europa League, contributing four goals and eight assists.
“This is a dream for me,” Cherki said after being unveiled as a new Manchester City player. “Honestly, to be joining a club like Manchester City and have the opportunity to take the next step in my career here is something special.
“I have worked so hard for this all my life. I love this sport, and I can’t wait to develop further here in Manchester with Pep and his backroom staff.
“Everyone knows how good City are – they have been so successful for many years now. The responsibility to help the team continue winning is something I want to embrace.
“I would only leave Lyon for a project I really believe in and everything at City suggests I can develop my game and help the team be successful in the future. I can’t wait to show City fans what I can do.”
It is safe to say that Cherki is just a young Kevin De Bruyne who has not reached full maturity yet. KDB did amazing things in Manchester, but this is Cherki’s time. The French international can also play across the frontline or behind the striker. He is an insane dribbler who can also thread line-breaking passes in the final third. Apart from De Bruyne’s work rate, Cherki looks special, and with time, it will become evident.
In the French Ligue 1 in the 2024/25 season, no player made more assists than Cherki (11). In terms of chances created, only Junya Ito (83) created more than Cherki (75), further confirming his nearness to De Bruyne in terms of creativity.
In terms of quality, the 21-year-old has everything to succeed and make a name for himself at Manchester City, and not just replace Kevin De Bruyne. Cherki might have failed to deliver in his first game, but there are still a lot of games to be played, and City fans will just have to be patient with him.