Rayan Cherki

Cherki drifts across the width of the pitch rather than staying fixed to one channel, pulling defenders out of shape simply by refusing to stand still. In tight spaces he uses a low centre of gravity and quick feet to create half a yard where none appeared, then picks a pass a more conventional midfielder would not have seen. His decision making is instinctive rather than rehearsed, which makes him unpredictable to defend but occasionally unpredictable to his own teammates.

The tension is whether flair translates into end product often enough to justify losing the ball in dangerous areas. Some managers want a number ten who guarantees end product, others want one who occasionally produces something nobody else could have imagined. Watch how much freedom he gets in the biggest matches, since that is the clearest sign of how much the team trusts the gamble.