William Saliba and Lucas Digne react to Rayan Cherki’s passionate Man City message
Rayan Cherki was in high spirits on social media following his debut for Man City in the Club World Cup
Man City kicked off their Club World Cup campaign in ideal fashion, cruising to a 2-0 win over Moroccan side Wydad AC on 18 June.
Phil Foden stole the spotlight for Pep Guardiola’s side with a goal inside two minutes, becoming the fastest scorer in the competition so far.
Jeremy Doku then doubled City’s lead before half-time, setting Guardiola’s side firmly on course in the tournament.
Cherki was handed his Man City’s debut and featured from the start, though he struggled to provide his usual creative spark in the final third.
Despite a quiet showing, the Frenchman kept the mood upbeat with a positive post afterwards, clearly relishing the opportunity to make his first appearance in City colours.
Premier League stars react to Rayan Cherki’s Man City debut
The 21-year-old was in high spirits on Instagram following Man City’s opening Club World Cup victory, despite a relatively quiet performance. He wrote: “First [Club World Cup] game and first win. We keep going.”
His post was met with plenty of love from across the Premier League. Aston Villa’s Lucas Digne responded with fire emojis, while Arsenal defender William Saliba showed support with a like.
His new Man City teammates also showed encouragement, with Phil Foden, Oscar Bobb and Omar Marmoush all engaging with the post.
Cherki joined City just before the Club World Cup registration deadline, brought in to help fill the creative void left by Kevin De Bruyne’s confirmed move to Napoli.
Replacing not just the technical ability but the presence of a club legend like De Bruyne will be no small task. However, there’s clearly belief in the Frenchman’s potential to grow into that role.
Man City have already spent around £115 million this summer, with Tijjani Reijnders arriving from AC Milan and Rayan Ait-Nouri joining from Wolves, as Guardiola looks to reshape his squad for a strong showing in the summer tournament.
Man City open to Oscar Bobb loan as squad reshuffle continues
Despite Bobb showing support for Cherki’s debut, his own future at the club may now be in doubt.
Football Insider revealed Man City are willing to entertain loan offers for Bobb as he continues his return to fitness following a lengthy injury absence.
Cherki’s arrival appears to have influenced that decision, with City exploring the possibility of giving the Norwegian regular minutes elsewhere.
Several Premier League clubs including Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace are interested in Bobb, but for now, he remains part of the Club World Cup squad.