Newcastle are interested in signing Lyon forward Rayan Cherki, according to journalist Dean Jones.

Reports in recent days have credited Liverpool as the likeliest club to make an offer for the 21-year-old in January but, speaking on the Ranks FC podcast, Jones said:

“There is actually long-term interest in him from Newcastle and there are a couple of the big figures in terms of recruitment that are interested in him.”

“They haven’t actually done a deep dive into his background and more personal life at this stage, which would need to be done because they would want to make sure that his personality is a good fit and that he’s going to take to life.”

Cherki’s club are in financial trouble

Lyon are said to have encountered major financial problems, with debts that exceed €500m, and it is believed that they would be willing to sell some of their prize assets for knockdown prices.

It has been suggested that Cherki could be offloaded for €30m (£25m) and there are even claims that Lyon could sell him for below that figure due to their issues.

The Newcastle target has been compared to Eden Hazard

France football expert Jonathan Johnson says there are striking similarities between Cherki and a former Chelsea forward:

“He’s a very exciting talent, somebody who looks to have a great career ahead of him. Similarly to Eden Hazard when he first established himself in Ligue 1, he looks very technically skilled, versatile, and he’s probably the best young player to emerge from Lyon’s youth academy for many years, possibly even since Karim Benzema.”

One of the important differences between the two players, though, is that Cherki lacks Hazards’s speed and, if Newcastle are on the lookout for a right winger, he wouldn’t be a perfect fit.

In fact, the France Under 23 international would probably be better equipped to play as a No.10. The Magpies have tried and failed to sign a playmaker in past transfer windows, with both James Maddison and Dominik Szoboszlai slipping through their fingers. Perhaps Cherki could be the solution they are looking for in that position.

Find out who is in Newcastle United’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here