Manchester City have wasted little time in passing over Jack Grealish's club shirt number after the Englishman's departure.
Grealish's season-long loan move to Everton was finalised earlier this week, meaning the no. 10 shirt that he wore in his four seasons at City became vacant.
Ahead of the 2024/25 season, and to coincide with the club's third kit reveal, City have announced that Rayan Cherki will take Grealish's shirt number and be the new no. 10 at the Etihad Stadium.
Cherki arrived from Lyon this summer for a fee of around £34m and signed a five-year contract.
At just 21, he is regarded as one of the most talented attacking midfielders in Europe. Last season he scored 12 goals and registered 20 assists in a Lyon shirt.
The player would have stood out as a strong choice for the no. 10 shirt due to his attacking quality and strong creative output on the pitch.
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The talented Frenchman temporarily wore the no. 29 shirt during his new side's FIFA Club World Cup campaign and for City's sole pre-season fixture against Palermo this past weekend.
Following the announcement, Cherki said that he is "very happy to play with the no. 10" (shirt) and that he "can't wait to play in the Etihad" (Stadium) with his new shirt number.
Previous City players to have worn the no. 10 shirt include club legend and record goalscorer, Sergio Aguero, as well as, Edin Dzeko and Shaun Goater.
City's willingness to pass on Grealish's number despite the Englishman not being permanently sold suggests the player's time at the club is done, and he will not play under Pep Guardiola again once his loan at Everton expires.
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