Rayan Cherki caught the eye of Europe’s biggest clubs with his impressive performances for Lyon and France at the European Under-21 Championship

Mauricio Pochettino was denied the chance to take a closer look at Rayan Cherki this summer after Ukraine beat France in the quarter-finals of the European Under-21 Championship.

The 19-year-old playmaker has recently been heavily linked with a move to Stamford Bridge as the Blues search for a creative new midfielder following the departure of Mason Mount.

Cherki, whose contract at Groupama Stadium expires in 2025, made 34 appearances for Olympique Lyonnais in Ligue 1 last season, contributing directly to 10 goals.

Despite his young age, the Frenchman quickly became a fixture in Laurent Blanc’s starting XI.

Thanks to his incredible skills and sparkling academic form, he quickly made his way into the first team and made his Champions League debut aged just 16. Cherki hasn’t looked back since and is now said to be on the Blues’ radar.

According to Simon Phillips, Chelsea are looking into a possible move for the striker, which could bring Lyon a significant gain.

The French side recently ran out of money as they failed to reach European qualification, but the Blues could save them with a move for Cherki, who is worth around £25m.

While the teenage sensation passes the test of eyesight with his flashy passing and outstanding ball carrying, Chelsea would probably like to gather more data before diving headlong into a deal.

The semi-final and final would have been the perfect opportunity for the West Londoners to see if Cherki can keep her nerve when the pressure is on.

But Pochettino was obviously denied the opportunity to take a closer look at the coach. So Chelsea may have no choice but to hear Kylian Mabppe’s verdict.

After Cherki scored two goals and two assists in a game for Lyon aged just 16, the Paris Saint-Germain star has been singing his praises on social media.

As quoted by But Football Club, Mbappé tweeted: “Don’t talk to him too much about age, huh.”

While Mbappe may be a fan, PSG don’t appear to hold Cherki in high regard. In January, Jean-Michel Aulas publicly criticized Parisians for making an “offensive” offer for the young man.

In an interview with French TV channel RMC Sport, the Lyon president said:

“I had a long time with Nasser [al-Khelaifi] who called me on Saturday night to find out if we are negotiating Rayan Cherki or No.”

“I said no and Nasser said to me: ‘Ok, it’s over’ and he added that PSG would therefore not make a new offer.

I thank him for this direct and sincere contact. We have not not entered into negotiations, but the level of the offer was offensive.

More news……

Chelsea will have to spend €80 million on the 23-year-old target after his 14 goal campaign.

This summer, there have been rumors that Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic will leave the Italian team.

Atletico Madrid and Chelsea are reportedly interested in signing the 23-year-old Serbian international this summer, according to a report from Fichajes.

If a club is prepared to pay €80 million for him, it appears that the Italian organization will approve his transfer.

It’s unclear if Chelsea will be willing to spend that much money on the Serbian striker. Vlahovic could be a fantastic option for the Blues to lead the line as they desperately need a reliable goalscorer.

The Serbian has the potential to become a premier league player, so Mauricio Pochettino needs to spend this summer on a quality striker.

He managed to score 14 goals in all competitions last season despite a lackluster stint at Juventus.

Vlahovic has the physicality and skills to succeed in the Premier League, and a coach like Pochettino might be able to bring out his best side once more.

During his time at Florentina, the striker was regarded as a top-tier prospect, and he has the potential to grow into a productive forward.

At this point in his career, a transfer away from Juventus might be ideal for him. He could regain his form and confidence at Stamford Bridge with a new start.

However, given that the player hasn’t been at his best in over a year, the reported asking price seems quite high. As a result, Juventus will need to lower their demands for the deal to be approved.