Almost done! 21-year-old Kevin De Bruyne replacement close to joining Manchester City

Lyon playmaker Rayan Cherki is closing in on a move to Premier League giants Manchester City.

The 21-year-old has had an outstanding season on a personal level, scoring 12 goals and assisting 19 in all competitions, and with Lyon only mustering a sixth-placed finish he is set to leave for Champions League football.

Manchester United were previously tipped as a destination for Cherki, after watching him score twice against them in the Europa League this season, but City have swooped in, hoping to complete the deal in time for the Club World Cup.

According to TalkSport, a deal is very close for Cherki, who was voted in the Ligue 1 team of the season following his sparkling creative displays.

The report further states that Pep Guardiola sees the midfielder as the perfect replacement for De Bruyne.

Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz was previously a big target for City, but he is now expected to join Liverpool.