Sports

Manchester City: Rayan Cherki patience could be running out

Published

1 hour ago

August 27, 2026

Cherki seemed in good spirits on Tuesday evening when posing for pictures and signing autographs for fans at the PFA awards in Manchester, where he was named in the Team of the Year and nominated for the Young Player of the Year award.

His goal contributions last weekend mean he has now provided 12 assists from open play since the start of last season – more than any other Premier League player during that period.

But despite his creativity, Cherki is yet to become a regular starter for City.

Under former manager Pep Guardiola last season he made 33 Premier League appearances – but 14 of those were as a substitute.

At this summer’s World Cup, he played a bit-part role – albeit he is competing against a star-studded array of France forwards.

His only start was against England in the third-fourth place play-off and he was replaced at half-time with his side 4-0 down.

That took his game time to 124 minutes across the whole tournament and videos emerged of Cherki showing apparent displeasure at coach Didier Deschamps.

Maresca admitted after Sunday’s victory that Cherki is not a man to hide his feelings.

“Rayan is quite a nice and clear boy, if he is not happy he wants to show it. If he’s next to me and he’s not happy, you all realise that he is not happy because he is doing anything just to show that he is not happy.”

In City’s recent documentary on Amazon, chief executive Ferran Soriano revealed there were question marks over Cherki’s attitude before he was signed from Lyon for £30m in June 2025.

“The information on Cherki was not so positive, I will be very honest,” said Soriano. “Everybody knew about his abilities, but there was this idea that he was chaotic.”

Maresca was seen striding towards Cherki at full-time on Sunday, before placing his arms around the player’s shoulders and appearing to relay some sort of lecture.

What was said between the pair has not been made public and when asked afterwards if the forward would start a game soon, the Italian replied by saying “absolutely, yeah”.

Cherki’s biggest challenge this season might be to keep his emotions in check and his spirits high if the flamboyant but fiery playmaker has to wait longer than he feels he should for a regular place in City’s starting line-up.

Sports

Itauma vs Hrgovic: Croat says he will send British heavyweight “back to high school”

Published

4 minutes ago

August 27, 2026

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Filip Hrgovic told British heavyweight Moses Itauma he will “send him back to high school” when they fight for the vacant IBF heavyweight world title at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday.

Unbeaten Itauma, 21, is aiming to become the second-youngest heavyweight world champion in history – Mike Tyson remains the youngest.

Hrgovic, 34, has repeatedly called Itauma a “kid” in the build-up, prompting the Chatham heavyweight to admit the taunts were starting to wind him up.

But Itauma played down their impact at Thursday’s news conference. “At the end of the day, talk is cheap. It’s schoolboy banter,” he said.

An Olympic bronze medallist with an extensive amateur pedigree, Hrgovic’s only pro defeat came against Daniel Dubois in 2024.

He dismissed suggestions he was trying to play “mind games”.

“I just tell you what I think. I think he’s a kid, he’s not mature enough. I think I’m the man. I’m a much better age, much more experienced. That’s it,” he said.

Sports

Mountain Bike World Championships: Pidcock, Aldridge & Richards in action for GB

Published

12 minutes ago

August 27, 2026

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The 2026 Mountain Bike World Championships are taking place in Italy this week and BBC Sport will be showing Sunday’s action live from Val di Sole.

Coverage of the elite cross-country women’s and men’s events will be on iPlayer and the BBC Sport app and website.

There is a strong British contingent at this year’s championships, which conclude with the infamous and highly technical “Black Snake” downhill track.

Sports

Fiorentina in talks with Manchester United for Joshua Zirkzee loan

Published

18 minutes ago

August 27, 2026

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Fiorentina are in talks with Manchester United over an initial loan move for forward Joshua Zirkzee.

The Netherlands international can leave Old Trafford this summer and has attracted interest from across Europe.

Talks are taking place between Fiorentina and United over what would be a loan until the end of the season with an option to potentially make the transfer permanent next summer.

Zirkzee, who has three years remaining on his contract, is open to move to the Serie A club.

An agreement is not described as close at this stage but there is optimism that a deal can be reached before transfer deadline on 1 September.

Zirkzee joined United from Bologna for £36.5m in 2024 having won Serie A’s Under-23 player of the season for 2023-24, and scored on his debut in a 1-0 win over Fulham.

But he has struggled to establish himself as a first-team regular making just 27 starts among 75 appearances during his two season at the club.

The 25-year-old, who made just five Premier League starts in 2025-26, has scored nine goals in all competitions for United.