Newcastle United and Liverpool ‘on alert’ for wonderkid amid relegation threat

Seven-time French champions Olympique Lyonnais are facing potential relegation to the French second-tier unless they are able to improve their financial situation. The club have been handed a provisional demotion and will be relegated to Ligue 2 at the end of the season if their financial situation does not improve.

The club may be forced to sell players during the January transfer window in order to bring in much needed money and maintain their top-flight status. This could open the door for the Magpies to swoop for one of their most promising players. 

Rayan Cherki has been linked with a potential move to Tyneside for a while and were credited with an interest in him back in the summer of 2023 before moving on to other targets. A fee of around £17m was touted as potentially being enough to sign Cherki at that point, although Lyon’s financial perils may mean that Cherki is available for cheaper this winter.

Playing either on the left-wing or through the middle as an attacking midfielder, the 21-year-old has two goals and three assists in 11 appearances in all competitions for Lyon this season. Liverpool have also been linked with a move for Cherki and could pounce when the January transfer window opens at the turn of the year with reports in France suggesting the Reds have already enquired about his availability.