Manchester City’s summer rebuild has already produced plenty of talking points, but one name continues to attract growing excitement around the Etihad Stadium — Rayan Cherki.
The French midfielder arrived in England carrying a reputation as one of Europe’s brightest attacking talents, yet his first season under Pep Guardiola appears to have accelerated his development beyond expectations.
Now, former Manchester City defender Gael Clichy believes the 22-year-old possesses the qualities needed to follow in the footsteps of club legend Kevin De Bruyne.
For years, De Bruyne set the standard for creativity in Manchester City’s midfield, producing remarkable numbers for goals and assists while orchestrating some of the club’s most successful campaigns.
Replacing a player of that calibre is a challenge few clubs would willingly embrace, but Clichy feels Cherki has the potential to emerge as the next elite creator at the Etihad.
The former France international has followed Cherki’s progress closely.
Their paths crossed during Clichy’s time working alongside Thierry Henry with France’s Under-23 side, giving him a unique insight into the midfielder’s strengths and areas for growth.
While Cherki’s technical ability has never been questioned, adapting to Guardiola’s demanding system represented a significant test.
At Manchester City, talent alone is rarely enough. Every player is expected to contribute in every phase of the game, whether attacking, defending or controlling possession.
According to Clichy, that adjustment has been one of the defining moments in Cherki’s rise.
The transition to Manchester City required a different mindset.
Guardiola’s teams are renowned for their tactical discipline and relentless attention to detail. Every player must understand positional responsibilities and defensive duties just as thoroughly as attacking patterns.
Clichy believes Cherki’s willingness to embrace those demands has been central to his progress.
“Working with Pep can either make you or break you. It is a simple choice, really – because if you listen and go with what he wants, then, with the quality Rayan has, you have a good chance of becoming great.
“If, on the other hand, you don’t understand what Pep wants, and you don’t really want to go his way, you can break that relationship,” Clichy said in his BBC column when discussing the youngster’s development.
The difference between a talented player and a world-class performer often lies not in natural ability but in the willingness to learn and adapt.
For Cherki, that process appears to be paying dividends.
Throughout the campaign, he demonstrated not only the flair that first brought him attention but also an increasing understanding of the collective responsibilities required at the highest level.
His work rate, pressing intensity and positioning without the ball have become noticeable features of his game.
That evolution has helped him earn the trust of Guardiola, a manager known for demanding complete commitment from his players.
Chasing De Bruyne’s creative legacy
Comparisons with Kevin De Bruyne are not made lightly.During his decade-long spell at Manchester City, the Belgian established himself as one of the finest midfielders of his generation.
His passing range, vision and ability to create opportunities transformed countless matches and helped deliver major honours to the club.
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Matching those achievements would represent an enormous challenge for any player, especially one still in the early stages of his Premier League career.
Nevertheless, Clichy sees similarities in the pathway available to Cherki.
The former defender believes that continued improvement away from possession could provide the platform for the Frenchman to become one of the most productive creators in European football.
“Rayan was always an outstanding talent, in terms of his quality, but you need to understand that football is about more than just having the ball – you need to work on your game out of possession too,” Clichy added.
Clichy believes Cherki is moving firmly in that direction.
“I always thought if he could do that, and add that to his game, he is going to be trusted by his coaches – and then we could be talking about a player that gets close to Kevin de Bruyne with his statistics for making goals.”
