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The National
18-06-2025
- Sport
- The National
Manchester City prepare for rise of the Rayans at Club World Cup
Manchester City's new signing Rayan Cherki, 21, will likely learn to moderate his language. The bargain £30.9 million signing from Olympique Lyon has said that City's rivals United are in his sights when the new season starts. 'I didn't like it when Manchester United won the game against Lyon because I am a Lyonnais,' he said. 'Now I am waiting for the game [to] kill them. I'm here to win all the games.' Manchester City fans will like it. United fans saw how good Cherki was in two epic Europa League games in April. Cherki, easily Lyon's most talented player, got a late equaliser in the 2-2 first leg and then shone in the dramatic second leg where Lyon were 2-0 down, then 4-2 up with 10 men. Cherki's 104th minute strike had given his side the lead before they lost 5-4. It's understandable why that stung. Cherki played in all 12 of Lyon's games to the quarter-finals, scored four goals and made a competition-leading eight assists as the Ligue 1 side scored 29 goals – a figure only bettered by finalists Manchester United. And he could have joined United, who pushed hard to get him in the summer of 2020. It was a complicated, Covid-riddled time to try to take a 15-year-old out of France. 'We spoke to Cherki's father, but when push came to shove they didn't want to leave,' one former United official, who was familiar with the negotiations, told The National. 'They were a nice family who were fanatical Lyon fans and wanted him first to play for Lyon before being open to a move.' Cherki stayed in Lyon's celebrated academy and was on the bench as a 16-year-old when Rudi Garcia's side knocked Manchester City out of the 2020 Uefa Champions League. He has matured into a top player, a two-footed creative showman who in November said: 'Wherever I go, I want to enjoy myself and entertain people because when you see what happens pretty much everywhere in matches, there's not much entertainment on TV. I want people to enjoy themselves when they're watching TV. And I hope to do so for the whole of my career.' 'Rayan Cherki's a talent, an exciting flair player who has the ability to put that into productive performances,' said Uefa technical observer Steve Cooper, who watched Cherki several times last season. 'His technical ability, spatial awareness and decision making is very good. He dribbles well – but at the right time. He can change and dictate the rhythm of the game. 'It's not just about moments – so that's a talent. He can play in a team structure but also off the cuff and with instinctiveness to help the team and not just himself.' Cherki can act as a winger but prefers a more central No 10 role, one which has been freed up by Kevin De Bruyne's departure for Napoli. Eligible to play for France, Algeria or Italy through his grandparents, Cherki scored 12 goals for France's U21 side and won a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics playing for a France team coached by Thierry Henry. Still, he was rewarded with his first full French call-up this month for the Uefa Nations League finals in Germany. 'Rayan could have been here in March, given what he has achieved with his club,' said France coach Didier Deschamps. 'He has been so decisive in terms of his goals and his assists.' Deschamps' decision was justified as Cherki matched Spain's Lamine Yamal for influence in the semi-final. Trailing 4-0 after 55 minutes, France made five substitutions in 13 second-half minutes to transform the game. Cherki, who came on in the 63rd minute, scored the second and assisted the fourth in what ended up a 5-4 defeat. 'Cherki's volleyed goal was later followed by his beautiful inswinging cross between the back of the defensive line and the goalkeeper – it was difficult to defend,' said Jose Mourinho's former assistant Rui Faria, who was at the game. 'Kolo Muani only needed a touch, and it was 5-4. Cherki made a difference.' Cherki moved to City the following week for a fee which looks like a bargain and is already involved with his new club in the Club World Cup. City start their competition with a game against Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca in Philadelphia's Lincoln Field on Wednesday. Cherki became the second Rayan of North African heritage who was raised in France and made his professional debut in the country before moving to the Premier League. Rayan Ait-Nouri is the other with the 24-year-old having just joined City in a £31m deal after helping secure Wolves' top-flight status. He missed only one game and was a key player as the club pulled away from the relegation zone, finishing the season in 16th place. Ait-Nouri has long idolised a man who became his teammate, Riyad Mahrez. 'My story is similar to his, I grew up in France and play for Algeria,' he told The National in January. 'I didn't play against Mahrez when he was at Leicester but it was amazing to watch him. 'When we watched him for Leicester when they won the league, it showed that an Algerian player could win things in the biggest league. He's the best player of Algeria of all time. He's the captain of our national team, and he tries to help the young players'. City will be up against one of Morocco's biggest clubs, Wydad, at the Club World Cup – in a group that also includes UAE side Al Ain and Serie A's Juventus – with the two Rayans lining-up for a team who will be clear favourites. Football fans and others all over North Africa will be following their progress intently.
Business Upturn
17-06-2025
- Sport
- Business Upturn
Chelsea eyeing a move for this 20-year-old Lyon's winger
Chelsea is considering a move for the Olympique Lyon's 20-year-old winger named Malick Fofana. By Ravi Kumar Jha Published on June 17, 2025, 18:55 IST Chelsea is considering a move for the Olympique Lyon's 20-year-old winger named Malick Fofana. The winger was impressive last season and Chelsea see a great potential in the player. There is a strong possibility that Chelsea move ahead of their interest, but no contacts has been made as of now. Chelsea are reportedly considering a move for Olympique Lyon's highly-rated winger Malick Fofana. The 20-year-old Belgian talent caught the eye with a string of impressive performances last season, showcasing pace, flair, and creativity down the flanks. Sources close to the club suggest that Chelsea see great potential in Fofana and are closely monitoring his development. The winger, who joined Lyon from Belgian side Gent, quickly adapted to Ligue 1 and became one of the standout young players in France. While Chelsea are seriously interested in the youngster, no official contact has been made with Lyon as of now. However, there is a strong possibility that the Blues could step up their pursuit in the coming weeks as they continue to rebuild under Enzo Maresca. Ahmedabad Plane Crash Ravi kumar jha is an undergraduate student in Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia and Mass Communication. A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication and he also has a genuine interest in sports. Ravi is currently working as a journalist at
Daily Mirror
16-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Liverpool transfer collapsed after medical and it left £60m target left stunned
Jurgen Klopp pinpointed Nabil Fekir as a key target for Liverpool in 2018 and despite the Frenchman having agreed to the move, it sensationally collapsed as the midfielder told his side of the story Nabil Fekir admitted he was baffled as to why his transfer to Liverpool collapsed. The Frenchman was a key target for Jurgen Klopp in the summer of 2018 and was looked at by fans as the replacement of Philippe Coutinho who had left for Barcelona earlier that year in January. With a reported fee of £58.5million having been agreed with Olympique Lyon for Fekir 's services, the attacking midfielder underwent a medical and had agreed personal terms with the Premier League giants. But in a surprising twist, his impending move to Anfield collapsed with reports suggesting that it was a knee issue during Fekir's medical that caused the transfer to break down. He had missed a majority of the 2015/16 season after rupturing his right ACL during international duty before suffering two further knee injuries during his time in France. The 31-year-old ended up staying one more season with his boyhood club before leaving the next summer to La Liga side Real Betis for a signficantly lower price of £18m. Fekir - who earned 25 France caps between 2015 and 2020 - spoke out on his failed move to the Reds in 2019 as he dispelled rumours that it was the cause of knee that ended his dreams of playing for Liverpool. "The truth, why the transfer to Liverpool did not work out, I don't even know it myself," Fekir said to French sports paper L'Équipe. "I passed my medical and after that, they decided not to sign me after all. What was said is not the truth," he insisted. "My knee is good - I had a quick medical check at Clairefontaine - my knee wasn't even mentioned. But the worst thing is the idea that people could suggest that it's because of my family that the transfer didn't happen. "It's a lie. But you have to live with it. The attempt to spread this pseudo physical problem into the world of course had an influence on other clubs potentially interested as well." Following the failed move, Fekir - who joined Al Jazira last year - had cut ties with his agent Jean-Pierre Bernes who claimed that it was the midfielder's knee issues that was the problem. Fekir would have joined Alisson Becker, Fabinho, Naby Keita and Xherdan Shaqiri at Liverpool who went on to win the Champions League in their first season in Merseyside. An attacking midfielder has once again become a key target for the English champions who are closing in on securing Florian Wirtz. They've agreed a deal worth £116m, including add-ons, with Bayer Leverkusen to sign the German superstar. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Were Dortmund too stingy? This non-transfer is a real regret for BVB
It's the 79th minute at the Stuttgart MHP Arena. Rayan Cherki receives a relatively hard, bumpy pass from Kylian Mbappé on his right foot. France's number 25 controls the ball, doesn't think twice, and shoots the ball with his left foot in a volley that is unstoppable for the Spanish goalkeeper. What's special about this goal? For 21-year-old Rayan Cherki, it's his first game for France's A-national team, and it would have been the perfect debut if the Équipe Tricolore had turned the game around in the 4-5 spectacle. Cherki was only substituted in the 63rd minute and showed in the remaining playing time why he is in such high demand. Advertisement Especially in Dortmund, one might have watched his performance with tears in their eyes. The transfer odyssey between BVB and Cherki could now backfire tragically for the Black and Yellows. But did the Dortmund team do anything wrong? Or did they? Almost every day in the winter, there were reports of a possible transfer of Cherki to BVB. Sometimes the deal was almost done, and sometimes the transfer threatened to burst. One thing is certain: Cherki sparked desires, and BVB was the club that showed the most interest in the Frenchman, while top clubs kept a low profile. The trend at the end of the winter transfer window was towards a transfer. Rayan Cherki was ready for the next step and, according to information from 'Sky', also had a verbal agreement with his club Olympique Lyon that he could leave the Lyonnais for 22.5 million euros. Contractually agreed exit clauses, as known in Germany, are prohibited in France. However, Lyon boss John Textor put a spoke in the wheel of this seemingly secure transfer and also ranted against BVB: "The offer from Dortmund was communicated disrespectfully, was far below market value, and came at the wrong time." The BVB offer of over 22.5 million euros came at the end of the transfer period, and the market value of the Frenchman was around 30 million euros in the winter, with an upward trend. Advertisement Was BVB too sloppy to sign the up-and-coming superstar? As BVB made clear to Sky, they had already submitted several offers to Lyon beforehand. But probably, Sebastian Kehl & Co. in Dortmund were too stingy and gave too much importance to the verbal agreement between Cherki and Lyon. That BVB couldn't or didn't want to make a better offer for a player who perfectly fits the transfer prey scheme could cost the Dortmund team dearly. Cherki played a strong second half at Lyon and now has a market value of 45 million euros (source: ' and real top clubs have entered the transfer poker. According to 'L'Equipe', Manchester City is following the BVB path and has probably made an offer of over 22.5 million euros, while transfer expert Fabrizio Romano assumes a transfer fee of 30 million euros plus bonus payments. Romano even announced the completion of the transfer between Manchester City and Cherki. The Frenchman himself also hinted at a transfer. "Yes, it's almost done. But you know my answer, everyone knows it. There's still a game to play. Now we want to have fun and give everything, but after that, it's done," he said to 'Telefoot'. Advertisement One way or another: BVB is now probably out of the running for top striker Rayan Cherki, although BVB (half a year ago) seemed like the perfect station for the Frenchman. If Manchester City gets the offensive player for the transfer fee mentioned by Romano, the BVB family will likely be annoyed about the wrong stinginess. If Cherki goes for the verbal agreement of 22.5 million euros, the Dortmund team has every reason to accuse Lyon boss John Textor of foul play. This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here. 📸 THOMAS KIENZLE - AFP or licensors
Forbes
02-06-2025
- General
- Forbes
Joe Montemurro Appointed Head Coach Of Australian Women's National Team
LYON, FRANCE - MAY 16: Olympique Lyon Head Coach Joe Montemurro during the Arkema Premiere Ligue ... More Feminine, Final match between Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain on May 16, 2025 in Lyon, France. (Photo by Eurasia) Former Arsenal and Lyon coach, Joe Montemurro has today been officially confirmed as the 15th full-time head coach of the Australian Women's National Team, known as The Matildas. The 55-year-old Australian will return to his country after spending eight years coaching in Europe, winning league titles in England, Italy and France. However, he failed to take any of those sides to a Champions League final, most disappointingly squandering a first-leg lead with Lyon in this season's semi-final, going out to former side Arsenal. Montemurro stepped down from his position as coach of French champions Lyon on Saturday morning and was in Sydney today for his presentation to the Australian media. He was unveiled in front of the city's iconic Harbour Bridge, standing alongside Football Australia Interim CEO, Heather Garriock and Head of National Teams, Gary Moretti. Garriock said Montemurro 'ticked every box" during Football Australia's recruitment process. The announcement comes at the end of what the federation called 'a global search' for a successor to Swede Tony Gustavsson who led the Matildas to fourth place finishes at the Tokyo Olympics and 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, which was played on home soil in front of record-breaking attendances and television audiences for the Australian nation. BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 12: Tony Gustavsson, Head Coach of Australia, applauds fans after the ... More team's victory through the penalty shootout following the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Quarter Final match between Australia and France at Brisbane Stadium on August 12, 2023 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by) Gustavsson stepped down soon after a disappointing performance for The Matildas at the Paris Olympics in which they failed to progress out of the group stage. Last September, former Matildas coach Tom Serrmani was reappointed national team head coach on an interim basis as Football Australia began their process of recruiting a permanent replacement for Gustavsson. Sermani oversaw a mixed bag of results, a famous 2-1 away to Germany in Duisburg was followed by two home defeats to Brazil. At the start of 2025, the Matildas lost all three games they played at the She Believes Cup in the United States. Montemurro will officially commence his role on 16 June two weeks after this morning's friendly international against Argentina in Canberra. His first matches in charge will be a double-header against Slovenia in Perth followed by another two matches against Panama in July. His first real test will come at the AFC Asian Cup to be played on home soil during the middle of the European club season in March 2026. 'To be appointed head coach of the CommBank Matildas is the honor of a lifetime," he said today. 'This team means so much to so many Australians, and I'm humbled by the opportunity to help shape its next chapter. I've followed their incredible journey closely and am energised by the passion, resilience, and identity they've built. 'There's a generation of talent coming through and major tournaments on the horizon. My job is to honour the legacy, harness the momentum, and help this team play football that inspires and unites the country.' Speaking at his first press conference, Montemurro outlined the way he wants his Australian side to play. 'We want to control the game. We want to have the ball. We want to be able to control the game even when we don't have the ball." 'You'll see a team that will take risks. You'll see a team that's going to be brave. You'll see a team that's going to excite. I know no other way of playing football, and it's a matter of now instilling that identity.' He warned that his expansive methods would not bear fruit overnight. 'You're not going to see, in the first game I take over, that all of a sudden we're getting 85% possession and we're entering into the attacking third forty times. But the most important thing is to have it ready and understanding for the big tournaments - when it's important." The Matildas have been without their captain, record goalscorer and talismanic leader Sam Kerr since January 2024 as she continues to work towards full fitness after a rupture of her anterior cruciate ligament. Re-integrating Kerr into the team after such a long absence will be one of Montemurro's immediate concerns. MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 18: Australian footballer Sam Kerr looks on during the A-League Women's ... More Grand Final between Melbourne Victory and the Central Coast Mariners at AAMI Park on May 18, 2025, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by) 'My intention is to sit down with all the players,' he said, "even the extended squad, and map out a process - a thorough profiling of what's required to play the brand of football that we want to play. Sam fits into that scenario where we're just going to assess and monitor and see where she's at. Let's get her fit and right, and then we'll have those discussions." It is believed that Montemurro's contract will allow him to lead the team into the next Women's World Cup in 2027 and the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. He spoke passionately of his desire to leave a legacy in the country's soccer development. 'I want to be able to leave a situation here, or create a situation here, that every young female player dreams of the opportunities that are going to be given to them in the national team pathway,'
