Chelsea have been linked with a move for Lyon wonderkid Rayan Cherki – given Les Gones’ financial woes, they could be open to letting the 21 year old go.

This is according to a recent report from Spanish outlet Fichajes. Chelsea aren’t the only Premier League club credited with an interest in the player – Arne Slot’s Liverpool are also thought to be interested.

As things stand, the two clubs are hoping to snap Cherki up for a fee in the region of £17 million. While Lyon will look to get more money than this, they are not in a position to be making demands.

Chelsea’s interest in Cherki has been long standing – the Blues have been chasing the player for well over a year at this point. As such, they will likely be determined to land his signature before any of his other potential suitors do.

Chelsea have been looking for a long term successor to Eden Hazard ever since the Belgian left the club. No one has taken on this mantle since – but they have identified Cherki as a worthy heir.

So far this season, Cherki has played in 13 games across all competitions, scoring two goals and notching up three assists in both Ligue 1 and the Europa League. His contract is not due to expire until the summer of 2026 – as such, if Chelsea want to bring him to Stamford Bridge on a free transfer, they will need to wait.

Cherki himself may not want to leave Lyon, despite their ongoing plight. He has been at the club since 2010, when he was just seven years old. The decision will probably be out of his hands, however – not only have Lyon been provisionally relegated to Ligue 2, they are also under a transfer ban. They need to amass funds as soon as possible to offset their losses – selling Cherki would be a great way to do this.