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Etihad chief the Catalan coach, who has guided legends such as the Argentine maestro, Iniesta, and the midfield orchestrator, affirmed that the French attacker is one of the most talented footballers he has ever seen and believes the winger will adopt the unselfish ethos at the club.

Return from Injury

Cherki, who signed for City from Ligue 1 for a fee of £30.5 million ahead of the intercontinental tournament this past summer, has made just seven outings up to now. After recovering from a thigh problem, he made a brief cameo in the success against the Toffees last matchday, where he came close to assisting a strike for the Norwegian.

Now, he is heading to Villarreal where he have his European first appearance in a City shirt.

Coach’s View

While calling for time, the manager was at a loss to fully describe his talent, admitting that the biggest doubt could be how he adapts within the setup and gets used to executing basic actions well.

“Rayan is some of the greatest stars I’ve come across throughout my coaching life,” commented the coach, puffing out his cheeks. “Technically and individually he is excellent. The issue is his integration and how he reads the game, what each moment requires. He played during the Club World Cup, though there was a break. We must proceed step by step, but his talent is clear: I have the sense that frequently when possession finds him, the situation improves.

“He doesn’t always try to do extraordinary things; sometimes he just needs make basic plays. Yet he possesses something unique. For example, the through ball to Haaland against Everton, among many other things he is capable of.

“He is a player unfazed by stress on the ball. He resembles a street footballer. He is grumpy – ‘give me the ball’ – if he’s not involved, obviously. He’s been here for not long in the team; it requires a bit as you have to connect with teammates.”

When asked if the youngster would fit within the group dynamic, Guardiola responded: “Without a doubt. Players like him are so instinctive, incredibly bright. They notice all.”

Kudos for the Midfielder

The coach likewise highlighted the midfielder, who is likely to feature in the heart of the park. The Spanish midfielder is present to his former club, and should be celebrated ahead of the game in Villarreal, but is unavailable due to a muscle injury.

Guardiola noted: “I believe that González is getting better steadily. We are extremely pleased with his attitude and he should keep getting better. He is refined, thoughtful, a great character. His mum and dad have to be immensely proud of the person and footballer he’s grown into. He must be himself, but when you play next to world-class talent, you always learn. You notice how your performance elevates, however, González has to be himself, without a doubt.”

Team’s Strong Form

The manager additionally was effusive about City’s current form. “We are scoring plenty of strikes, creating numerous opportunities, and at the same time giving up little. We’ve played just eight Premier League matches and two on the continental stage, yet I believe that each outing is better than the previous one and is worse than the following.

“We analyze often how we can improve and methods to read the game improve. I hold strong trust in the squad and I’m aware they are working hard. We are displaying excellent condition.”