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Etihad chief the Catalan coach, previously worked with legends such as the Argentine maestro, the Spanish genius, and Xavi Hernández, stated that the French attacker is one of the most gifted footballers he has ever witnessed and is confident the youngster will embrace the team-first ethos at the Premier League side.

Return from Injury

Cherki, who moved to City from Ligue 1 for £30.5m in time for the Club World Cup this past summer, has managed just seven outings to date. Following a a muscle issue, he made a brief appearance in the 2-0 victory against the Toffees recently, during which he nearly set up a third for Haaland.

Now, he has travelled to Villarreal and could have his Champions League debut with City.

Coach’s View

While calling for understanding, Guardiola was at a loss to put into words the youngster’s qualities, suggesting that the biggest doubt is how he settles to the system and adapts to doing fundamental plays consistently.

“He is among the greatest stars I’ve witnessed in my career,” stated the manager, exhaling deeply. “On a technical level he is top-class. The issue is his integration and how he reads the game, what every action needs. He featured during the Club World Cup, though he had time off. We must proceed step by step, but his talent is clear: I believe that most of the time when the play finds him, the situation improves.

“It’s not necessary for him to have to produce incredible actions; he should simply play simple football. Still, he owns a special quality. Such as the assist to Haaland against Everton, along with numerous plays he is capable of.

“He is a player unfazed by pressure in possession. He reminds me of a street footballer. He shows annoyance – ‘pass it to me’ – when he doesn’t get it, clearly. He hasn’t been a brief period in the team; it will take a while since it’s vital to connect with teammates.”

When asked whether the Frenchman will adapt with the collective spirit, he replied: “Yes, definitely. Such individuals are very intuitive, highly intelligent. They perceive it all.”

Kudos for the Midfielder

The coach additionally commended the midfielder, who appears set to play in the engine room. The Spanish midfielder has travelled to his former club, where he is to be honoured pre-kickoff at the Estadio de la Cerámica, though he misses out because of a fitness issue.

He commented: “I have the impression that Nico is getting better continuously. We are very happy with his behavior and he should improve year by year. He is cultured, thoughtful, a great character. His family have to be immensely happy with him as a human and athlete he is. He must be himself, and when featuring alongside top players, you always learn. You realize how you can get better, though Nico should stick to his style, for sure.”

Squad’s Improving Performance

He likewise spoke glowingly on the club’s improving displays. “We are scoring plenty of strikes, creating numerous opportunities, and at the same time not conceding much. We’ve played just eight Premier League matches plus two in the Champions League, though I sense that each game improves upon the one before yet is inferior to the next.

“We talk about frequently how we can improve and how we can understand situations more effectively. I possess immense belief in the team and I’m aware the individuals are working hard. We are showing excellent condition.”