Manchester City have suffered a damaging setback on the eve of the transfer deadline, with manager Pep Guardiola confirming that new signing Rayan Cherki faces up to two months on the sidelines with a thigh injury.

According to The Athletic and confirmed by Guardiola following City’s disappointing 2-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium that the Frenchman will be out for some time due to an injury issue.

Cherki, who joined City earlier this summer from Olympique Lyon in a deal worth £36 million plus add-ons, was absent from the squad against Brighton after suffering the injury during training.

Rayan Cherki injury confirmed

Medical examinations later revealed a torn left quadricep, forcing both City and the French national team to rule him out of action.

France confirmed that the 21-year-old would play no part in their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine and Iceland, compounding the frustration for player and club alike.

Speaking after the defeat to Brighton, Guardiola admitted the timeline for recovery would be significant:

“He will be out for seven or eight weeks,” the Spaniard revealed.

Big loss for Man City midfield

Rayan Cherki of Manchester City in action (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Cherki’s absence is particularly frustrating given the buzz around his arrival. He is being seen as a direct replacement of Kevin De Bruyne at the club.

Cherki is expected to take the creative responsibility of the team but in his absence, Guardiola will have to find a solution.

To make matters worse, Phil Foden is also currently sidelined through injury, leaving Guardiola short of creative midfielders at a crucial stage of the campaign.

With the window set to close within hours, City now face a major decision, trust their existing squad or enter the market for emergency reinforcements.

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