When it comes to Manchester United, there is never a dull moment, with even the Christmas season not immune to important breaking news and developments.

Late on Christmas Eve, it was revealed that INEOS boss Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s planned investment had finally been confirmed, with the Billionaire industrialist purchasing a 25% share in the club to end months of speculation.

While some will be outraged that the Glazer family will remain in place as part of the agreement, it is expected that Ratcliffe will take over the football operation in order to restore an undeniably historic club to its former grandeur.

United supporters will be hoping that the 71-year-old, along with Sir Dave Brailsford and Jean-Claude Blanc, can devise a long-term strategy to return the Red Devils to the top of the domestic and European game after a decade of turmoil and frustration in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.

In the immediate term, there will be a desire to see improvements made to the playing team at Old Trafford, with the January transfer window possibly providing Ratcliffe and co with an opportunity to provide Erik ten Hag with additional reinforcements to attack the second half of the season.

Rayan Cherki, a Lyon sensation, is one probable target who is already apparently being lined up for 2024, with the 20-year-old perhaps set to be the first statement signing of the new regime in Manchester.

Rayan Cherki joins Manchester United on loan

The promising Frenchman has emerged as a ‘key transfer target’ for the Premier League team, according to Football Transfers.

According to the article, Cherki, who was linked with a move to rivals Chelsea over the summer, has been of interest to United for some time. However, the presence of Ratcliffe may prompt them to speed up their pursuit, with the Englishman anxious to bring the player to the club.

While described as “very inconsistent” by Eurosport France’s Martin Mosnier, the erratic maverick appears to have the tools to thrive if placed in the appropriate atmosphere, with Mosnier listing the following qualities:

“He’s an attacking midfielder who can also play as a left winger.” Cherki is a fantastic dribbler; one of the first things that stands out about him is that he appears to be ambipedal, since he can use both feet equally well.

“His strengths are as follows: key passes, dribbling and his ability to create something out of nothing.”

It is his capacity to ‘make something out of nothing’, as well as his ascension at Lyon, that has perhaps predictably prompted comparisons to compatriot Karim Benzema, with the latter having also begun his career at the Ligue 1 team prior to his triumphs at Real Madrid.

Described as the ‘next Benzema’ by numerous sites, the youngster’s ability has seen him projected to potentially even emulate the previous Ballon d’Or winner, with French football analyst Jonathan Johnson remarking on his skills:

“Probably the best young player to emerge from Lyon’s youth academy for many years, possibly even since Karim Benzema.”

In the example of Benzema, previous to joining Los Blancos in 2009, he scored 66 goals in 148 games for Lyon, finally going on to win a slew of domestic and European trophies at the Bernabeu, as well as adding 519 goal involvements in 648 games.

Also a player that United were said to be interested in signing under Ferguson all those years ago, the 36-year-old is undoubtedly the type of guy with whom Ten Hag would love to work – therefore signing his heir apparent in the form of Cherki.