Ainsley Maitland-Niles can count stars such as Bukayo Saka, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Phil Foden among his former team-mates but it is young Lyon sensation Rayan Cherki the ex-Arsenal man describes as the “best natural talent” he has ever seen.
Maitland-Niles and Cherki are part of a resurgent Lyon outfit who face Manchester United in the quarter-final of the Europa League at the Groupama Stadium on Thursday (20:00 BST).
As well as Maitland-Niles, Lyon have ex-Premier League players in former Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette and ex-United midfielder Nemanja Matic, plus World Cup winners in France international Corentin Tolisso and Argentina defender Nicolas Tagliafico.
But Cherki, 21, is the player that catches the eye and, according to Maitland-Niles, will be a major threat on Thursday night.
“He is the best natural talent I’ve ever seen,” he tells BBC Sport. “An absolute master, a wizard with the ball.”
Cherki has nine goals and 18 assists in 36 games this season across all competitions but individual moments, like his two mazy dribbles to set up Malick Fofana goals against Rangers or his wonderful vision to pick out striker Georges Mikautadze against PSG have made the headlines.
“He is taking chances, assists and dragging us up the pitch by taking people on and nutmegging them – he is a genius,” adds Maitland-Niles.
Only three players from Europe’s top five leagues – Bruno Fernandes (129), Raphinha (122) and Joshua Kimmich (113) – have created more than Cherki’s 103 chances in all competitions this season. And he ranks second in Ligue 1 for completed dribbles with 74, behind Paris St-Germain’s Desire Doue with 79.
There are also training videos of Cherki with France Under-21s, where he displays equal ability to control and volley a ball with both feet.
“He is two-footed, has no fear, keeps going and going, can get past people with such ease, such finesse,” says Maitland-Niles.
“He is now working for the team off the ball and has gone to another level this season.”
In an in-depth interview with BBC Sport, Maitland-Niles also talks about why Arsenal are too reliant on Saka, success under Jose Mourinho at Roma, moving to France and why Lyon will show Manchester United “respect”.
