Cherki at a bargain price: PSG deal confirmed

 PSG came very close to pulling off a major move in the transfer market. Before flying to Manchester City, Rayan Cherki could have joined Paris for just 15 million euros. A missed opportunity, revealed by John Textor on RMC Sport, which sheds light on the behind-the-scenes of a highly sensitive case.

“Cherki was supposed to go to PSG for 15 million,” stated the OL owner bluntly. The deal stemmed from an old promise made to the player well before his breakout, and above all from a contractual clause that was anything but clear. “It wasn’t a real release clause, but it still gave him room to maneuver to leave,” Textor explained, comparing the situation to those of Barcola or Lukeba.

A cut-price opportunity PSG almost secured

For PSG and Cherki, the deal was virtually done—and at a low cost. A legal arrangement that could have turned into a nightmare for Lyon. “If he had been entirely our player, we would have earned much more,” the American admitted, while defending himself: “But managing to sell a player for over 30 million when his clause was much lower financially means we did as well as possible.”

Between verbal promises, vague clauses, and an unstable context, the ground was treacherous. Paris thought it had secured a future star at a bargain price, Lyon tried to limit the damage… and Cherki ultimately surprised everyone by taking on a whole new dimension at Manchester City.