Cherki was born on 17 August 2003 in Lyon.[3] His father, Fabrice Amsellem, is of Algerian-Jewish and Italian descent, and his mother of Algerian descent.[4][5][6][7]
Club career
Lyon
Cherki is a product of the youth academy of Lyon, and is considered one of their best-ever prospects. He began playing with their reserve side in the Championnat National 2 at the age of 15.[8] On 7 July 2019, Cherki signed his first professional contract with Lyon until 2022.[9] He made his professional debut in a 0–0 Ligue 1 draw against Dijon on 19 October 2019.[10]
On 4 January 2020, Cherki scored his first senior goal as a substitute in a 7–0 win over Bourg-en-Bresse in the Coupe de France, becoming the youngest-ever player to score a senior goal for Lyon, aged 16 years and 140 days.[13] On 18 January, he was involved in all four of Lyon's goals in a 4–3 win over Nantes in another Coupe de France match; he scored a brace, and assisted the other two goals.[14]
On 19 August 2020, Cherki was subbed on in a UEFA Champions League match against Bayern Munich. In doing so, he became the youngest-ever player to feature in a UEFA Champions League semi-final.[15] Lyon were knocked out of the competition in that match, losing by a score of 3–0 to the eventual winners.[16]
Cherki scored his first Ligue 1 goal in a 3–2 win over Monaco on 2 May 2021. His goal secured the victory for Lyon in the final minutes of the match.[17]
In September 2024, Cherki, who was initially set to be out of contract with Lyon in the summer of 2025, extended his stay with the club until 2027.[18] This extension includes an optional year, which would be automatically activated if the player was still under contract with Lyon on 1 September 2025.[19] Following the contract extension, Cherki’s 2024–25 season emerged as a standout individual campaign with Lyon. He registered 11 assists in Ligue 1, finishing as the league’s top assist provider and earning him a place in the UNFP Team of the Year.[20][21] He was also given the inaugural Ligue 1 Dribbler of the Year award.[22] In the UEFA Europa League, Cherki delivered 8 assists, making him the competition’s top assist provider and playing a key role in helping Lyon reach the quarter-finals. His performances were further recognized with the Europa League Young Player of the Season award and a place in the competition's Team of the Season, highlighting his development and growing influence at both domestic and European levels.[23][24]
Manchester City
On 10 June 2025, Premier League club Manchester City announced the signing of Cherki on a five-year contract for a reported initial fee of €36.5m, a potential €6m in add-ons, and a 15% sell-on clause.[25][26][27] On 22 June, he scored his first goal for the club in a 6–0 FIFA Club World Cup group stage victory against Al Ain.[28]
In 2024, Cherki was named in France U23's squad for the Olympic Games hosted in France.[33] He appeared in three games during the tournament, starting in the last group stage game against New Zealand, and then appeared as a substitute in the semi-final game against Egypt, and then in the final against Spain, as France won the silver medal.[34] Being an Olympic medalist, Cherki was awarded the Knight of the National Order of Merit.[35]
Cherki debuted for the French senior squad on 5 June 2025, scoring and assisting in a 5–4 loss against Spain in the Nations League semi-finals.[36] Three days later, on 9 June, he earned his first start in a 2–0 victory against Germany in the same tournament.[37]
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