‘I’m an old-school footballer, not obsessed with stats’ – French-Algerian Rayan Cherki

Manchester City winger Rayan Cherki says he is not focused on statistics, insisting his approach to football is “old-school” and built on instinct rather than numbers.

Cherki, who is of Algerian heritage, moved to City from Lyon last summer and is determined to make his mark in the Premier League while honouring his cultural roots.

The 22-year-old scored 12 goals and provided 20 assists in 44 matches for Lyon last season, but he says personal numbers are secondary to team success.

“I’m not a stats guy. I think that you can see that in the way that I play football. I’m an old-school footballer, and the ‘old-school’ didn’t look at stats,” Cherki said.

The Frenchman admitted he was frustrated when Manchester United eliminated Lyon from European competition, emphasising his loyalty to his former club.

“I didn’t like when Manchester United won the game against Lyon because I’m a Lyonnais. Now I am waiting for the game to kill them. I’m here to win all the games,” he added.

Cherki has settled quickly under Pep Guardiola, who has given him creative freedom in possession.

“Pep told me, ‘when you have the ball, you are free’, which is very good for me because it’s my first quality to help the team,” Cherki said.

Guardiola’s confidence has helped him adapt following injury setbacks, and he has already contributed four goals and four assists for City this season, showing glimpses of his Lyon form.

Stars including France captain Kylian Mbappe have praised Cherki as a “very spectacular talent,” while teammate Ibrahima Konate described him as “flamboyant, old-school,” highlighting his ability to excel if fully committed.

Cherki insists he is focused on creating his own legacy at City rather than emulating teammates. “I’m not Kevin De Bruyne, he is the legend. I’m here to help the team and to write my own story,” he said.