After a hectic start to the summer window for Tottenham Hotspur – with manager Ange Postecoglou completing the signings of James Maddison, Guglielmo Vicario and Manor Solomon – the club's transfer dealings have somewhat dried up of late, with it yet to be seen who else could be arriving through the door over the coming weeks.
One name that has been mooted as a potential target for the Lilywhites is Lyon starlet, Rayan Cherki, with the 19-year-old forward having caught the attention following a standout season in Ligue 1 – in which he chipped in with ten goals and assists in 34 league games.
What's the latest on Cherki to Tottenham?
As revealed by Football Transfers last month, Spurs – as well as Premier League rivals Chelsea – are said to have held talks with the player regarding a potential summer swoop, with teenager's representatives having recently been in London to discuss a move.
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If chairman Daniel Levy is to close on a deal for the promising Frenchman, Caught Offside have previously reported that the selling party are looking for a fee in the region of €50m (£43m) if they are to part ways with their prize asset.
How good is Rayan Cherki?
Despite having been dubbed a "magnificent talent" by respected scout, Jacek Kulig, the jury is out on whether the young playmaker would actually be able to thrive were he to move to England, with transfer insider Dean Jones sounding a note of caution with regard to Levy's interest in the player, despite his obvious potential.
Speaking in an interview with Football FanCast, the respected source stated: “If Spurs turn serious on Cherki then that could become a really nice move. The only problem with players like him, who play his way, is that things can go wrong quickly just as they can go well quickly.
A bad start can be a total disaster for creative players who are looking to assert themselves so that’s the one worry I would have. But if he does come to the Premier League and fulfil his potential then he’s going to be a star and so I can see why Spurs might be mulling it over.”
Should Tottenham sign Rayan Cherki?
Those of a Spurs persuasion may well be concerned at the prospect of enduring a repeat of their failed capture of another former Lyon star, Tanguy Ndombele, with the mercurial midfielder having made little impact since signing on a mammoth £63m deal from the French outfit back in 2019.
Since then, the 26-year-old has gone on to make just 91 appearances for the Lilywhites in all competitions over the past four years, having notably spent the last 18 months out on loan at both Lyon and Napoli.
While there had been hopes that the Frenchman could turn things around under Postecoglou, the latest indication is that the £200k-per-week enigma could be on his way to Turkish giants Galatasaray for as little as £11m – representing a sizeable loss on Levy's initial investment.
One notable issue that the instinctive, "street footballer" – as hailed by Arsenal's Declan Rice – has faced in English football is his apparent lack of work ethic, having been branded a "disgrace" in that regard by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher in the past.
The fear will be that despite Cherki's obvious gifts – having been dubbed a "difference-maker" by Kulig – he too may also represent something of a liability off the ball, as he notably ranks within the bottom 15% among his European peers for interceptions, tackles, blocks, clearances and aerial duels won.
As Tottenham have found out with the case of Ndombele, teams in the Premier League can ill-afford to carry any passengers no matter what they can do in the final third, with it looking as if Cherki could follow a similar path if he is to trade France for England this summer.
