This was not a transfer rumour anyone expected to rumble on quite this long.
HITC reported nearly two months ago that, despite interest from the likes of Chelsea, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, one of the finest young talents in French football had made his choice.
One year after Paris Saint-Germain snapped up the explosive Bradley Barcola, former Lyon teammate Rayan Cherki was keen to follow in his footsteps.
PSG were pushing hard at the time too, having opened talks with Olympique Lyonnais over a £15 million deal. The discussions quickly stalled, however. And lightning would then strike twice, Borussia Dortmund seemingly reaching an advanced stage before slamming their foot onto the accelerator.
Dortmund, Sport BILD say, felt funds would be better spent strengthening the right-back spot. A position they have now reinforced with the arrival of Yan Couto from Manchester City.
Newcastle United and Chelsea are fans of Rayan Cherki
So what next for Cherki?
He is certainly not going to stay and fight for his place at the Groupama Stadium. Lyon’s sporting director confirms that the plan is still to move the 20-year-old on with less than 12 months remaining on his contract.
It remains to be seen, however, if the likes of Newcastle, Tottenham or Chelsea are willing to take a chance on a Lyon academy graduate with the raw potential of Karim Benzema but perhaps more likely to go down the Hatem Ben Arfa; becoming a good player than the great one he could be.
“Regarding Rayan, we spoke with him at the beginning of the summer. We are still in discussions to find a solution,” director David Friio tells Le Progres, via Made in Foot.
“He will certainly leave, yes.”
Cherki – a bonafide match-winning talent on his day – assisted nine goals last season but scored only three of his own.
Chelsea are always willing to invest in uber-talented youngsters like the France Under 21 international so a late move from the Stamford Bridge outfit cannot be ruled out, even if The Blues already have Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke for the right wing spot.
Tottenham, meanwhile, are prioritising a striker over a wideman at present. Head coach Ange Postecoglou confirmed as much prior to the 2-1 defeat by Bayern Munich in Korea on Saturday, per Football London.
Spurs, who recently sold Troy Parrott to AZ Alkmaar, are fans of Feyenoord talisman Santiago Gimenez. HITC understands that Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke is another they could target in the final few weeks of the window.
Lyon ready to sell former PSG and Dortmund target
“I don’t know what is best (for Cherki) but everyone has to be a winner in this situation; Rayan and the club,” adds Friio, who previously played in England as a midfielder for Plymouth Argyle and Nottingham Forest.
“He was trained here (in the Lyon academy). And there is a time in a career where you want to see something else.
“He has all the qualities.”
The very definition of mercurial, Ligue 1 expert Jonathan Johnson told Caught Offside that the ‘very exciting’ Cherki is ‘probably the best young player to emerge from Lyon’s youth academy for many years, possibly even since Karim Benzema.
He also draws comparisons with a pre-Chelsea, Lille-era Eden Hazard.
“Similarly to Eden Hazard when he first established himself, he looks very technically skilled (and) versatile,” Johnson wrote.
As ever, the question is not about Cherki’s ability but whether he has the mentality to live up to those expectations.
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