Rayan Cherki’s dazzling performance at Stamford Bridge has sparked fresh discussion about his place among the Premier League’s most creative talents, with former Chelsea forward Eden Hazard offering a measured but intriguing comparison to Kevin De Bruyne.
The 22-year-old French international was instrumental as Manchester City secured a convincing 3-0 win over Chelsea on Sunday, delivering two assists in a performance that underlined his growing influence.
Since his arrival at the Etihad Stadium last summer, Cherki has quickly established himself as a key figure, contributing 10 goals and 14 assists across all competitions.
For Hazard, who watched closely as his former club struggled to contain the young playmaker, the conversation around Cherki’s style inevitably led to comparisons with one of the Premier League’s modern greats.
Yet, while acknowledging the similarities that have prompted such debates, the Belgian was keen to stress the clear distinctions between the two.
Different profiles, shared brilliance
Hazard, who shared the pitch with De Bruyne during Belgium’s celebrated “golden generation” drew on his own experience to explain why the comparison, though understandable, is not entirely accurate.
“Cherki is a player who’s completely different from Kevin De Bruyne; he’s more about dribbling, even though he knows how to make magnificent passes, he’s more focused on the individual play, the flair,” Hazard said in an interview
“Kevin is really the No. 10, maybe even deeper, who sees the game.”
“They are different,” he continued. “Will he be his successor? There won’t be another Kevin de Bruyne. He has to make a Cherki out of him and delight us every weekend.”
The distinction, as Hazard outlines, lies in approach as much as execution. De Bruyne has long been regarded as a conductor in midfield, dictating tempo and unlocking defences with precision.
Cherki, by contrast, thrives on spontaneity and invention, often carrying the ball into dangerous areas and relying on instinct to create opportunities.
Hazard elaborated further on the Frenchman’s strengths, highlighting the qualities that have allowed him to adapt so quickly to the demands of English football.
“Where Cherki is strong is that he dribbles with his head up, he sees the whole game. He’s a player who plays on instinct, he doesn’t think he makes the pass, that’s why he’s at this level now.”
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Such attributes were evident throughout City’s victory at Stamford Bridge, where Cherki’s movement and awareness repeatedly unsettled Chelsea’s defence.
His ability to operate across multiple attacking positions has also given Pep Guardiola valuable tactical flexibility, with the youngster comfortable both centrally and out wide.
A rising star among elite company
Cherki’s impact in his debut season has been remarkable, not only in terms of performances but also statistically.
Reaching double figures for both goals and assists at this stage of the campaign has placed him among an exclusive group of players to have made such an immediate impression at City.
Indeed, he has become just the third player in the club’s Premier League era to register 10 assists in their first season, joining De Bruyne and another revered figure in David Silva.
It is a comparison that underlines both the scale of his achievement and the expectations that now accompany his name.
