Once again, Liverpool is being linked with a move for Lyon forward Rayan Cherki amid the Ligue 1 club’s ongoing financial issues. But who is the 21-year-old and why are some of Europe's biggest teams considering a cut-price move?

Cherki has been compared to Eden Hazard due to his build, his ability to dribble, and his quality with either foot, and he has made 152 appearances for the French club to date, scoring 22 goals and assisting 33. Cherki’s current contract expires in 2026 and, according to L’Equipe, he has drawn interest from the likes of Liverpool and PSG.

Previously, Cherki has attracted interest from the likes of Chelsea and Fulham. Now, though he supposedly has a "gentleman's agreement" with Lyon to let him leave for $23m (£19m/€22m). According to Fichajes, Liverpool is among those who could move, alongside Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen as interested parties.

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Lyon president John Textor has already admitted that Rayan Cherki's future at the Ligue 1 club is uncertain. "We lost €15m ($16m) from his sale last summer… but his value is now way higher," Textor said (via Fabrizio Romano on X). "He should stay in January but it’s up to Rayan. He decides what he wants to do."

Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid have also been linked with moves for his services. Cherki is a talented dribbler but there would be a substantial question mark attached to his off-the-ball work and the physical demands that would be placed on him by Arne Slot if he came to Liverpool.

According to FBref, compared to other wingers and attacking midfielders in Europe's top five leagues, Cherki ranks very highly (94th percentile and above) for expected assists and shot-creating actions. He is in the 97th percentile for progressive passes and his most statistically similar players include Cole Palmer, Leroy Sane and Florian Wirtz. Cherki is very low, however, in terms of defensive metrics, though that could be down to Lyon's style.

Liverpool.com says: While he isn't an obvious target for Liverpool, there is clearly a talent in Cherki. The Reds do love looking for value in the market and there could be an opportunity for someone to get a good deal with Lyon in need of money. With Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones both pushing Dominik Szoboszlai for minutes, Liverpool doesn't need another body in that area of the pitch.