Exclusive: Rayan Cherki to Newcastle: O’Rourke updates after ‘£33m’ deal agreed.

Newcastle United will have to pay a high amount to sign Rayan Cherki in the January transfer window, according to Football Insider sources. On the most recent episode of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, senior writer Pete O’Rourke reported that Lyon had “put a price tag on his head” this month. The French club would prefer not to lose him since Cherki is regarded the “star man” of the squad, having scored five goals and given eight assists in 23 appearances this season. Lyon are likely to get a £33 million financial boost as a result of Luiz Enrique’s transfer from Botafogo to Zenit St. Petersburg, with the Ligue 1 club owning the sporting rights.

This makes a prospective Cherki move for Newcastle harder because Lyon does not need to sell the offensive midfielder. The 21-year-old’s contract expires in 2026, therefore Lyon may wait until the summer to decide whether to sell him if they are unable to reach an agreement on an extension.

Newcastle face competition to sign Rayan Cherki

Newcastle will also face stiff competition to sign Cherki, who is a highly sought-after talent. Football Insider understands that Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and Bayer Leverkusen are all interested in the offensive midfielder. Other Premier League clubs are also interested in him, which might push up his price. Newcastle are not in the best financial position to spend money this month due to concerns about profit and sustainability regulations.

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