In his first media interview since his £30.5 million signing from Lyon − an exciting move that already feels like a steal − the 21-year-old opens up about:
The interview is conducted by the side of the pitch at Lynn University near Boca Raton, the town north of Miami where City have based themselves for the Club World Cup. Their first game against Moroccan side Wydad FC kicks off on Wednesday in Philadelphia with Juventus and Abu Dhabi club Al-Ain also in the group.
Cherki and the rest of the squad have just been put through their paces by Pep Guardiola and his revamped coaching staff, including Kolo Touré and former Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders, who is particularly vocal.
Also there are City’s other new June signings: £46.3 million midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, from AC Milan, left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri bought from Wolverhampton Wanderers for £31 million and third-choice goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli from Chelsea.
With the four signings in January plus Rodri returning to fitness, it already looks like a new City.
Despite the heat and humidity and the unforgiving glare of the morning sun in Florida, the session is a surprisingly long one and the sweat is still rolling down Cherki’s forehead as it approaches midday and he finally begins to talk.
So why City? “When I spoke with Pep,” Cherki says, in English, before pausing and laughing. The inference is obvious: talking to Guardiola was enough. Cherki does not have to say any more. That is his answer.
But he carries on: “He was very, very clear: the system, the club, the city is very good. I want to win and I think Manchester City wants to win it all and, for me, that’s better.”
It is, unsurprisingly, the City manager who has had the greatest impact on him. “Because he is the most impressive,” Cherki says. “He loves football. He’s amazing.”
Born in France to parents with Algerian and Italian roots, Cherki has been on the radar of Europe’s top clubs for years, ever since he burst onto the scene at 16 with Lyon, who he joined when he was seven.
Genuinely two-footed − of the 44 shots he took in Ligue 1 last season, 22 were with his right foot and 22 with his left − Cherki is also a born entertainer. He has also been something of a social media sensation since childhood with his flicks and tricks − even as he often faced the accusation of there not being enough end product.
It will, therefore, be interesting to see how much freedom Guardiola allows him under his demanding system, with City turning to Cherki having walked away from trying to sign another playmaker, Florian Wirtz, who will join Liverpool for a British-record £116 million.
“I spoke to Pep about my position on the pitch and we spoke about what I enjoy,” Cherki explains. “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.
“He [Guardiola] told me he loves No 10 [for Cherki]. But now I play all the positions on the pitch − so it’s not complicated because I just want to play.”
Even though he is expected to find himself in behind Erling Haaland, Cherki is dismissive of the notion he has been bought to replace De Bruyne. The 33-year-old recently left City and signed for Italian champions Napoli, after his contract expired, having achieved so much in his decade at the club, becoming arguably the Premier League’s greatest-ever midfielder.
Kevin De Buryne
“I’m not Kevin De Bruyne,” Cherki states. “Kevin De Bruyne is a legend. I’m here to help the team and write my own story.”
In the past there have been questions about Cherki’s fitness, work rate and the defensive side of his game − maybe why some clubs shied away from signing him − but he has certainly changed that perception in the last season when he scored 12 goals and claimed 20 assists in all competitions for Lyon. He was, statistically, the most creative player in Europe when the number of minutes he played is factored in.
“I think I had the best season of my career, managed to make people talk only about good things: my passes, dribbling,” Cherki says.
“I don’t hear many people talking about the unfounded criticism I faced. Very few players would’ve kept a cool head and fought back. I’m satisfied with my season, even if I can do 18 times better.
“Today my only desire is to be on the pitch. I think I took a step forward in all aspects: my efficiency, defensive work, efforts without the ball.
“Everyone knows my offensive style − dribbling, passing. That’s not what I worked on most. I instead worked on knowing what I wanted to become, which makes the difference.”
With his powerful build, which he has worked on, Cherki certainly looks the part and City fans were also left excited by his brilliant 30-minute cameo in France’s 5-4 Nations League semi-final defeat by Spain this month with footage of his goal going viral.
Cherki’s contribution was all the more remarkable given it was his international debut and he believes that playing for City will help him reach his avowed aim of being recognised as the best player in the world.
“When you see Rodri, he won the Ballon d’Or here,” Cherki says. “It’s clear that with Manchester City it’s possible and I am here for this… and in the team we have the best players in the world.”
Cherki endeared himself to City fans − and added to his internet appeal − with his crude goal celebration having scored at Old Trafford against United in the Europa League quarter-final, albeit in a tie that ended in a dramatic late defeat. Having also scored in the first leg, Cherki grabbed his crotch and pointed at the United supporters.
“I didn’t like it when Manchester United won the game versus Lyon because I am Lyonnais,” Cherki says, before adding: “And now I wait for the game [against United] to kill them.”
The fixtures for the 2025-26 Premier League season are out on Wednesday.