Italian national team coach Roberto Mancini reportedly has his eyes on French U21 international Rayan Cherki, who has Italian roots, according to Italian newspaper La Repubblica and reported by L’Équipe. The 19-year-old Lyon attacking midfielder, who holds both French and Algerian nationality, has never been called up to the French senior squad. However, his grandfather hails from Puglia, a southern region of Italy, making him eligible to play for the Azzurri.
Mancini recently handed a debut to Mateo Retegui, a 23-year-old Italo-Argentinian striker who scored for Italy against England and Malta last month. Retegui is able to represent Italy thanks to his Sicilian grandfather, and now the Italian Football Federation appears to be considering Cherki as well.
Cherki is a highly rated prospect and has been tipped for a bright future, having made his first-team debut for Lyon at just 16 years of age. Despite not yet earning a call-up to the French national team, his performances in Ligue 1 have reportedly caught the attention of Mancini and his coaching staff, and he could indeed soon be in line for his first senior international cap with Italy.
GFFN | George Boxall
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