Rayan Cherki signs for Manchester City on five-year deal

Manchester City have completed the signing of France midfielder Rayan Cherki from Lyon for an initial fee of 36million euros (£30.5m).

The 21-year-old France international moves after an impressive season with Lyon in which he scored 12 goals and provided 20 assists in 40 appearances.

He also made an eye-catching debut for France last week when he came off the bench and scored in a 5-4 Nations League loss to Spain.

Cherki has put pen to paper on a five-year deal which will keep him at the Etihad Stadium until 2030.

He said: “This is a dream for me. Honestly, to be joining a club like Manchester City and have the opportunity to make the next step in my career here is something very, very 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 (Guardiola) 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.”

Cherki’s arrival comes on the same day City completed a deal for Chelsea’s third-choice goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli and follows the £31.3million capture of left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolves on Monday.

All three deals have been completed in time for the players to be registered for the group stages of the Club World Cup this month.

Further deals are also possible as Man City respond to a disappointing season in which they failed to mount a strong Premier League title defence and exited the Champions League before the last 16.

Dutch midfielder Tijjani Reijnders has been heavily linked with a move to City from AC Milan as Guardiola looks to bolster his midfield options following this summer’s departure of Kevin De Bruyne.