PSG and Chelsea involved in transfer battle to sign 19-year-old attacker: Reports

Mauricio Pochettino could face a fight from his former club this summer.

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Chelsea are reportedly set to battle it out for Lyon teenager Rayan Cherki in the summer transfer window.

Cherki, 19, has established himself as a crucial first-team presence for Les Gones over the past one season. Since making his debut in 2019, he has helped his club reach the Coupe de la Ligue final in 2020.

A left-footed versatile operator, the seven-cap France U21 international relished his best-ever campaign last time around. He scored five goals and laid out six assists in 39 appearances, starting 26 in the process.

According to The Guardian, Chelsea are set to compete with PSG yet again in the ongoing window after the saga involving Manuel Ugarte. The pair are keen to sign Cherki on a permanent transfer from Lyon.

Cherki, who has a contract until June 2025 at the Groupama Stadium, could prove to be a fine signing for the Blues should he join them. He could end up being a part of a hassle-free deal due to Lyon's good relationship with the west London outfit after Malo Gusto's transfer.

Meanwhile, the Frenchman could decide to seal a move to PSG since he is also a client of Kylian Mbappe's mother, Fayza Lamari. He could pop up as a squad member for them in light of Lionel Messi's departure.

Cherki, who is renowned for his flair and dribbling, has registered 14 goals and 16 assists in 102 games for Lyon. He is currently averaging a goal and an assist at a decent interval of every 148 minutes.

Chelsea ready to offer four players to snap up PSG superstar Kylian Mbappe: Reports

According to El Nacional, Chelsea could offer Raheem Sterling, Cesar Azpilicueta, Romelu Lukaku, and Marc Cucurella to PSG in order to sign Kylian Mbappe in the ongoing summer transfer window. They are also set to offer around £103 million to snap up the Real Madrid target.

The Parisians are in the midst of a turmoil after their striker confirmed that he has no intention of extending his deal beyond 2024. Hence, they are keen to sell the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner this summer itself.

So far, Mbappe has scored a staggering 212 goals and contributed 98 assists in 260 games across competitions for the Ligue 1 champions.

Meanwhile, Chelsea have already splashed around £82 million to sign two players this summer – Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson. They are monitoring the likes of Moises Caicedo and Gabri Veiga now.