Chelsea: Cherki told to join after reveal - 'I don't see any club better'

By Paul Robinson

14th Nov, 2023 | 5:40am

Rayan Cherki told to join Chelsea after source's reveal - 'I don't see any club better', says pundit

Olympique Lyon star Rayan Cherki should join Chelsea despite the club not yet being the “finished article”.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, former England and Leeds goalkeeper Paul Robinson claimed that the Blues’ developing youth-centric project under Mauricio Pochettino is ideal for the youngster.

As revealed by Football Insider (8 November), Chelsea are ready to join the race for the 20-year-old next year with Man United and Newcastle also keeping tabs.

Cherki is currently at Ligue 1 strugglers Lyon who sit winless at the foot of the French top flight with just one assist to his name this season, but the highly-rated attacker is a mainstay for Thierry Henry’s France under-21 side.

Robinson believes that Stamford Bridge is the best option for young talent and expects Chelsea to be challenging for trophies again within the next 18 months.

“For me as a young player, going to Chelsea at the moment would be the ideal club,” he told Football Insider.

“They’re not the finished article by a long way. They’re slowly turning corners but they they’ll have setbacks.

“The age of the squad and the manager they’ve got in charge, I thoroughly expect Chelsea to be there and there about in the next 18 months or so.

“We talk often about projects and transition, but this is a club that is changing the way they do things. Look at the average age of the squad – it’s going to take time.

“As a young talented player like Cherki, I don’t see any club better to join with the project they’ve got.”

In other news, Roman Abramovich cited after BBC’s Chelsea investigation reveal – ‘nine-point deduction’, says Kieran Maguire.