Chelsea, Newcastle warned against signing ‘talented’ Ligue 1 star with ‘massive attitude problems’

Chelsea and Newcastle have been warned against signing Lyon attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki, due to his ‘massive attitude problems.’

The 20-year-old is considered to be one of the best young talents in Ligue 1 and both Premier League clubs have registered an interest in him.

There are a lot of problems behind the scenes at Lyon, and French football expert Jonathan Johnson thinks Cherki could be one player who could ‘jump ship’ in January.

As mentioned, Chelsea have been linked with Cherki for several months. Newcastle are also thought to be admirers of his, but the Premier League duo could be put off if what Johnson says is true.

“It’s not a happy place to be at the moment,” Johnson said about Lyon. “Rayan Cherki is one name whose future could be in doubt, and there’ll be plenty of European clubs monitoring him and other Lyon players because as well because there are real financial difficulties for them.

“A lot of players already wanted to jump ship before the start of the season, and they still could.

“Cherki will certainly be one to keep an eye on, though I don’t know for sure if Chelsea plan to come back in for him. “The Blues had an interest in him in the past, but one problem is that clubs are becoming increasingly aware that he has massive attitude problems.“

“He doesn’t always conduct himself like he should on the pitch or in training, and there is quite a problematic relationship between the player’s entourage and the club, so that could get in the way of his development.”

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Cherki could still become a ‘top player one day’

Cherki is definitely a player with huge potential. He has made 111 appearances overall for Lyon, scoring 14 goals and making 16 assists.

He is only expected to get better as he gains experience, so Chelsea and Newcastle will have to weigh up whether he is worth taking a risk on.

“Cherki is considered one of the most talented players to ever come through Lyon’s academy, so there’s no doubt he could become a top, top player one day, but you just have to look at reports of how things have gone in the first few weeks under Grosso – it points to him being a difficult character and I think that’s made a few European clubs think twice about trying to make a move for him,” Johnson added.

“Still, while Lyon remain hamstrung financially, there are sure to be clubs who try to pounce on that opportunity. Whether or not Chelsea are one of those who decide to go back in for him, it depends how much due diligence they’ve done on the player.

“They’ll have to decide if it’s worth the risk, because some clubs have looked closely at Cherki before deciding to think twice.

“These issues have been there for a while, not just with Grosso – there’s definitely room for him to improve the way he responds to what coaches are asking of him, and to deal better with constructive criticism.

“He has immense potential, but at the moment it looks like unless he changes, it’s going to be difficult for him to really tap into that potential and have the career he’s truly capable of.”

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