Man City: A 'New De Bruyne' Has Arrived for Haaland

04/11/2025 07:25:00 GoalGuru

After months of struggling to fill the creative void left by Kevin De Bruyne, Man City seems to have found the player who can "reload" the cannon named Erling Haaland. That player is Rayan Cherki, a £34 million signing from Lyon.

In the 3-1 victory over Bournemouth, Rayan Cherki needed only 73 minutes to prove his worth. He provided 2 assists for Haaland and created a total of 5 dangerous chances—an output even De Bruyne at his peak rarely achieved in such limited minutes.

New Goal Formula by Pep

The connection with Cherki helps Haaland continue his phenomenal form. The Norwegian striker leads the Premier League 2024/25 scoring chart with 13 goals after only 10 games, while no other City player has scored more than once. This shows Pep’s team heavily relies on Haaland, and Cherki has arrived just in time to quench the "ammunition" thirst for this firepower.

Cherki’s passing map against Bournemouth shows 40 successful passes with only 7 errors, mostly aimed at the central attacking zone where Haaland operates. Both assists demonstrated exceptional vision: a clever headed pass from midfield setting Haaland free to sprint and score, and a perfectly weighted through ball leading to the second goal.

Statistics show that the "pass-to-chance" ratio between Cherki and Haaland is among the highest in the Premier League: 5 chances created from just 6 passes directed to Haaland, averaging 1.2 passes per chance. This matches the Doku–Haaland duo and far exceeds Bernardo Silva’s 2 passes per chance. For a 22-year-old, this efficiency surely satisfies Pep.

Pep Guardiola admitted after the match: "Cherki’s vision in the final third is excellent. He is brave, creative, and knows how to link the forward line." Indeed, what De Bruyne once did brilliantly with bold yet accurate passes is gradually being mirrored by Cherki.

Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland shone brightly in Man City’s victory.

Pep Has Found the Missing P

Kevin De Bruyne’s departure not only cost City over 100 assists in eight seasons but also left the team without the "brain" in every attack. Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva tried to carry that role, but neither is the type of midfielder willing to take risky passes. In contrast, Cherki brings fresh energy and spontaneity—the exact ingredient Pep seeks to keep City unpredictable.

Watching Cherki play against Bournemouth, one can easily see a familiar De Bruyne silhouette: constantly moving between lines, opening space wide, then suddenly releasing incisive through balls into the middle. In the opening goal, Marcos Senesi pressed high to block Cherki in midfield, but just a moment later Haaland broke free to score. For the second goal, Cherki’s subtle touch gave Haaland the room to accelerate and finish.

Of course, Cherki is not flawless. He once angered Guardiola by losing possession dangerously when the score was 2-1, nearly allowing Bournemouth to equalize. But for Pep, taking risks is the price for creativity. Clearly, Cherki is providing what City has lacked all season: the ability to unlock defenses with a single pass.

Cherki now wears the number 10 shirt, formerly worn by Jack Grealish, but his role is closer to De Bruyne than anyone else. The £34 million fee City paid to acquire him from Lyon now looks like a bargain compared to the £70–80 million market value for creative midfielders today.

Thanks to Cherki’s brilliance, Man City has climbed to second place, just 6 points behind Arsenal. Meanwhile, Haaland continues to reach incredible milestones: 98 goals in 107 Premier League matches, preparing to break Alan Shearer’s record for fastest to 100 goals (124 matches).

Pep does not want Cherki to be a De Bruyne clone. He only needs a player who can "see" Haaland in moments others cannot. Judging by the numbers (2 assists, 5 chances created, 40 accurate passes), Etihad may have truly discovered their new De Bruyne: a young, confident, bold, and creative player ready to carry on the legendary predecessor’s legacy.

Tran Giap

Comment (0)