As Manchester City try to close a deal for gifted midfielder Rayan Cherki, reports in suggest his club Lyon have their eyes on a couple of Pep Guardiola's gifted youngsters as part of the deal.
Respected French sports paper L'Equipe is reporting that 22-year-old James McAtee and Claudio Echeverri are on Lyon's radar and they would like to take one of the players on loan if and when Cherki completes his move to City.
Image source, BBC Sport
Image source, BBC SportFormer Arsenal forward and Premier League legend Thierry Henry believes Lyon midfielder Rayan Cherki can reach the same level as Mesut Ozil.
Cherki is heavily linked with a move to Manchester City, and caught the eye against Spain on his debut for in the semi-final of the Uefa Nations League last week.
German World Cup winner Ozil was widely praised for his first touch and weight of during his time in north London and Henry reckons Cherki's potential is sky high.
"This season, he has managed to raise his level," Henry said. "I would put [Mesut] Ozil in a different category, but with time, Rayan can get close to him."
Cherki has just enjoyed a breakout campaign in Ligue 1, with a return of 12 goals and 20 assists in all competitions the best of his short career.
The 21-year-old is about to enter the final year of his contract at Lyon.
Image source, Getty Images
Simon Stone
BBC Sport chief football news reporter
Capped 22 times for the Netherlands, Tijjani Reijnders is the type of balanced midfielder that City lacked last term.
The Dutchman scored 15 goals in 54 matches across all competitions for AC Milan, helping him to be named Serie A's midfielder of the season.
It was the best goalscoring season of Reijnders' career, with the 26-year-old hitting double digits for the first time.
But the former AZ Alkmaar midfielder, who made his senior debut for PEC Zwolle in 2018, is far more than just goals. Capable of playing deep or high in midfield, Reijnders' appeal to a coach like Pep Guardiola is clear.
The midfielder is capable of taking the ball in tight areas and is adept at beating the press either through his ing or ball-carrying.
With Rodri returning from injury towards the end of last season, Reijnders could either play alongside the Spaniard or in a more advanced role.
Image source, Getty ImagesHaving signed Rayan Ait-Nouri yesterday, Manchester City are looking to bring in at least two more players today.
Midfielders Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders have been heavily tipped to make their moves today - so what should City fans expect from these incoming players...
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I think some fans need to read updates beyond the headlines. Last news was that an improved bid for Wirtz would not be accepted and we wouldn't meet Leverkusen's asking price. Why is there still an assumption it will go through?
Rich, London
Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter
Bournemouth are confident of g Rennes defender Adrien Truffert.
The 23-year-old left-back is the club’s main option to replace Liverpool-bound Milos Kerkez.
Shamoon Hafez and Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football reporters
Image source, Getty ImagesManchester City are in talks to sign English goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli from Chelsea.
The 33-year-old has been third choice at Stamford Bridge for the past four seasons and City will aim to complete a deal before Tuesday's transfer deadline.
Earlier on Monday, City announced veteran goalkeeper Scott Carson will leave the club when his contract expires this summer.
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What started off as an exciting transfer window with the arrival of Frimpong and the rumours around Kirkez & Wirtz agreeing personal with Liverpool, has now descended into slight anxious doubt. I’m hoping we get the deals done today so we can shift our attention to a new centre back and whether or not a genuine number six is available, then addressing the fall out new arrivals usually create among current players wanting clarity on their futures such as Harvey Elliot.
Jay
Is there any news for Liverpool for Florian Wirtz?
Conor
Clubs must submit a squad list to Fifa by the end of today - four days before the start of the Club World Cup. That means players signed today are eligible to play at the tournament.
The squad lists must include at least 26 players, and no more than 35.
Additionally, clubs will be able to make limited changes to their squads between 27 June and 3 July - between the end of the group stages and the start of the quarter-finals.
Clubs may replace players whose contracts expired during the tournament, and may up to two additional players to their final list. No more than six players in total may be added.
Any player added will only be eligible to play in the next match if Fifa is notified at least 48 hours before kick-off.
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If this additional transfer window has been brought in so that teams participating in the Club World Cup can bring in players before the tournament why can other clubs make transfers. Just call it for what it is, another weird idea by the rule makers or keep it open all through summer.
Jay
My problem with the early transfer window is that how likely will there be 'shenanigans'? Will we get a banana attack today? Unlikely.
James
There has been an incentive for clubs taking part at the Club World Cup to get their summer business done early in part one of the summer transfer window, rather than part two.
gs that are completed before the window closes at 19:00 BST today will be able to play in the group stage of the Club World Cup.
Those that are completed once the window re-opens on Monday 16 June, can feature in the knockout stages of the competition, but not the group.
Given the financial rewards on offer for doing well in the US, clubs want their squads to be as strong as possible for the start of the tournament.
Image source, ReutersRayan Ait-Nouri ed Manchester City from Wolves for £31m
This short 10-day transfer window was brought in for clubs participating in the Fifa Club World Cup this summer, allowing them to bolster their squads before the tournament starts in the United States on Sunday.
However, that doesn't mean other teams can't make gs.
Teams not playing at the CWC have been able to sign players during this short window as well, which closes for all clubs at 19:00 BST today.
The summer has been split into two windows, with the first having opened on Sunday 1 June and the second window will open on Monday 16 June before closing on Monday 1 September at 19:00 BST.
The early window has allowed teams participating in the Club World Cup the chance to sign players before the tournament begins on Sunday 15 June.
Manchester City and Chelsea are the two Premier League clubs competing at the Club World Cup, but any team can participate in the early window.
Fifa rules state a transfer window cannot last more than 16 weeks in a calendar year, hence the split this summer.
Simon Stone
BBC Sport chief football news reporter
Rayan Ait-Nouri's transfer from Wolves to Manchester City was confirmed last night.
The big question is whether Lyon and midfielder Rayan Cherki s him.
City are keen on Cherki and clearly can do the deal but they will have to move quickly and on Sunday, sources inside the club were calling reports of the transfer being agreed as 'premature'.
In a sense, today's deadline is a bit misleading. That is just to be involved in the start of the Club World Cup. There is an opportunity to add to squads in mid-tournament from 27 June to 3 July that would make players available for the knockout rounds.
City could also ignore the Club World Cup altogether and sign Cherki at a later date.
That would appear a bit pointless given the massive financial incentives offered by Fifa for European clubs who go deep into the tournament.
I expect City will push hard to get the transfer concluded.
While Manchester City have enjoyed great success in recent years with inverted left-backs, Pep Guardiola wants a more traditional profile of full-back who can provide width and pace on the flank.
Rayan Ait-Nouri delivered more goal involvements (11) than any other Premier League defender last term, while only Leif Davis (61), Pedro Porro (57) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (53) created more chances for team-mates to score than the Wolves man (46).
Aaron Wan-Bissaka was the only top-flight defender to complete more dribbles (64) than Ait-Nouri (63) last term.
And his tight ball control and pace going forward compares with players Guardiola has previously favoured in that role. Ait-Nouri has displayed the ability to snuff out danger quickly and at source and his one-on-one defending has improved massively in recent seasons.
When the 2024-25 campaign concluded, Ait-Nouri had won possession back more than any other Premier League defender in the final third, with Crystal Palace's Daniel Munoz a close second.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe arrival of 26-year-old Netherlands international Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan will strengthen an area of the pitch that has been weakened by injury to Mateo Kovacic, who has been ruled out of the Club World Cup after undergoing Achilles surgery.
Key playmaker Kevin de Bruyne is also expected not to be involved in the tournament, with a move to Serie A champions Napoli looking increasingly likely.
The g of Rayan Ait-Nouri fills another gap. City have been operating without a specialist left-back since Benjamin Mendy left. He made his last appearance for the club in August 2021.
Oleksandr Zinchenko, Joao Cancelo and Josko Gvardiol are among the players who have had extended stints in the position, while youngster Nico O'Reilly filled the role towards the end of the season.
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It looks like lots of Rayan in Manchester, as usual.
Chris, Hitchin
Edu Rubio
Former West Ham and Wolves first-team coach
His technical competency, his ability and skill in tight areas - keeping the ball close to his feet - give him the opportunity to fit perfectly into Guardiola's possession-based play.
He can also dribble with speed, to get the team up the pitch driving with the ball, which is probably what Manchester City need right now - players who can break lines.
Defensively he has improved his game since his arrival in the Premier League and his one-v-one defending is of a very good standard. He can cope physically and is a very versatile player who can operate in any position down the flank, or by playing as an inverted full-back.
He needs to improve his decision-making on the ball - he can take one touch too many at times and slow the ball speed down in a possession game that Guardiola loves. He also needs to work on his end product in attack.
At a club like City he will need to get his assist ratio higher, but it is something he can definitely do.
One major deal we expected to be following today has already gone through, completed and confirmed last night - Manchester City have signed left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolves.
The 24-year-old Algeria defender has signed a contract until 2030 and is available for the group stage of the Club World Cup. City begin their campaign in the newly expanded tournament against Moroccan club Wydad AC on 18 June.
Algeria international Ait-Nouri ed Wolves in a £14.9m deal from Angers in 2021, having spent the previous season on loan at Molineux, and made 41 appearances in all competitions last term as the club avoided relegation, scoring five goals and adding seven assists.
He is Wolves' second high-profile departure of the summer, with Manchester United having agreed to sign Brazil striker Matheus Cunha for £62.5m.
Image source, Getty Images
