‘I would have loved to play with him’ – France manager Zinédine Zidane hails Manchester City midfielder Rayan Cherki

Whoever knew Zinédine Zidane the player will hardly be surprised that Zidane the manager has taken a shine to a player such as Rayan Cherki (23). Called up by the new France manager for this September training camp, the Manchester City player already seems to have won over the former number 10, whose praise for him is effusive.

Speaking at a press conference on the eve of the clash between France and Belgium, ‘ZZ’ was keen to explain that he would have loved to share the pitch with the attacking midfielder. “Yes, well yes (I would have liked to play with him), he’s a proper footballer,” the manager smiled to the journalists, whilst making a point of clarifying that the 23-year-old’s technical ability was not, however, the only thing he appreciated.

“But it’s not just that – everyone knows that. What interests me is what he’s capable of doing without the ball,” he continued. “He’s capable of receiving the ball between the lines; he makes incredible passes. Two or three times, when he plays vertically, it can be immediately effective.”

Starting the match at the Turka Kocaeli Stadyumu during Les Bleus’ 1-0 victory in Turkey on Friday, Cherki put in a fine performance before being replaced by Eduardo Camavinga (23) in the 78th minute.

GFFN | Léo Aschi