It’s surprising how quickly Rayan Cherki has changed his image in Manchester City fans’ eyes. Rumour mills were filled with reports of his attitude issues before his arrival. That led to some fear, but little did anyone know that this Frenchman would turn into the glue that holds the vibes inside the club. A big piece of evidence of that has come after his immaculate performance in the Carabao Cup final.
While Manchester City slayed the seemingly invincible Arsenal side in a rather straightforward fashion, it was Cherki who quietly became the engine that drove that match. The 22-year old entered the match like a man on a mission and played a crucial role in setting up City’s win with a beautiful cross to Nico O’Reilly. However, that wasn’t the only thing that grabbed the headlines.
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Rayan Cherki was caught multiple times doing flashy tricks against the toothless Arsenal side. That’s something that didn’t really sit well with his coach Pep Guardiola, who famously dislikes excessive showmanship on the field. That was evident in a viral clip where Guardiola was seen shaking his head in disbelief over Cherki’s conduct. But it was just another display of Cherki’s huge personality within the City locker room. And unsurprisingly, just a few days later, Cherki is in the news once again.
This time, however, it’s for his social media game. The 22-year old trolled his teammate, Jeremy Doku’s latest fashion choice, after the latter posted a reel about his arrival in the Belgian camp ahead of the International Break. While most of Doku’s outfit was a typical 2026 urban dress, it was his choice of cap that raised eyebrows. The 23-year old wore a beret or a flatcap, something that his Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has been seen wearing multiple times. Cherki highlighted that fact in a hilarious comment.
Rayan Cherki’s reply to Jeremy Doku on Instagram. 💀😂 pic.twitter.com/D8FIdPJTF5
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“Ta pris le beret au coach?????” asked Cherki. The translation reads “Did you take the beret from the coach????. The comment hinted at Pep Guardiola’s signature flatcap style.
With over 3800 likes and more than 100 replies, Cherki’s comment again showed the great vibes that currently fill the City fanbase after the Carabao Cup win. However, hidden behind it was also a story about the comfort that Cherki feels despite being a different style of player than what Guardiola usually prefers.
The highly successful coach is deeply married to his methods. It’s been a consistent theme with Guardiola throughout his career. Now, whether that be his immense dislike for half turns, as Kyle Walker revealed recently, or the habit of setting up his teams in a way to avoid low percentage chances. The latter usually means limiting flair players and having a team that works like a machine. This is why Cherki seems like a loose cannon; he’s a flair player with a tendency for showmanship.
That’s one of the reasons why fans always wonder if he and Guardiola might not be a good match. However, comments like this and the post-sub hugs between the two show that Guardiola somehow enjoys Cherki’s personality. Perhaps that’s why, despite multiple benchings, Cherki always finds himself on the team sheet eventually. If anything, City needs a bit of individual flair to bridge the gap to Arsenal in the Premier League.
