Borussia Dortmund’s attempt to sign Lyon midfielder of Algerian descent Rayan Cherki has fallen through after the two clubs failed to reach an agreement, according to Sky Germany.
Dortmund reportedly submitted a €22.5 million offer for the 21-year-old on Saturday, but the bid was rejected by Lyon, with the club’s owner, John Textor, issuing a strongly-worded statement.
Textor criticized Dortmund’s approach, stating, “The offer from Dortmund was communicated disrespectfully, was well below market value, and came at the wrong time. Rayan Cherki will remain an important part of our team until the end of the 2024/25 season.
“We have rejected Borussia Dortmund’s offer and have no intention of negotiating with them or any other club.”
Dortmund officials were reportedly surprised by Textor’s public remarks, particularly his claim that their bid was submitted too late.
It was previously understood that Lyon and Cherki had a verbal agreement allowing him to leave during the January transfer window, but Textor seemingly overruled that understanding.
With only a few hours remaining in the transfer window, Dortmund may need to shift focus to other priorities.
The club has already secured the arrivals of Diant Ramaj, Carney Chukwuemeka, and Daniel Svensson, although only two of these signings are expected to have an immediate impact.
