Thierry Henry loves Florian Wirtz transfer alternative Rayan Cherki - and Man City could pounce

Manchester City would love to sign Florian Wirtz this summer - but the Bayer Leverkusen star will come at a cost.

It could well take £100m+ to prize him away, and while Pep Guardiola's side are well set financially the scale of the rebuild at the Etihad means that pricetag could be prohibitive.

Wirtz is a superb talent and has all the hallmarks to slot seamlessly into the City system. But there are alternatives out there.

And one, Rayan Cherki, could be a viable option. The Lyon man has enjoyed a superb season and will look to help his side reach the Europa League semi-finals this week, eliminating Manchester United in the process.

A precocious talent, the 21-year-old has seemingly married ability with work-rate and is reaping the rewards. He is flourishing at Lyon - having been linked with a move to Crystal Palace and Fulham last summer - and is now one of the most talked about young talents in European football.

He is one of the most creative players in Europe and, out of contract next year, could be set for a big move this summer. He has been linked with a clutch of top clubs - including Manchester United and Liverpool - and could be available for around £20million - a sizeable saving on Wirtz.

And while Cherki is a different type of player, perhaps more eye-catching but also more unpredictable and possibly more unreliable, there can be no doubting his talent. He predominantly plays wide on the right but can operate across the forward line and is two-footed. Indeed his long-term position is likely at number 10, and his coming of age season this term has elevated him to new heights.

He was outstanding for France Under-21s in a win over England last month and has 17 goal involvements in 25 matches in the French