Chelsea is preparing to submit an offer of $44 million for Lyon's highly rated teenage sensation, Rayan Cherki, reported by goal.com. The French player is seen as a top candidate to fill the void left by Christian Pulisic, who is thought to be on his way to AC Milan.

Cherki, who is valued at €40 million by Lyon, has been on Chelsea's radar for quite some time. The 19-year-old versatile attacker is a product of Lyon's youth system and is contracted to the club until June 2025. Lyon had reportedly rejected an offer from Paris Saint-Germain for Cherki last January. However, the club's financial constraints and need to comply with France's financial fair play regulations mean they may consider selling players to fund summer signings.

Having made 21 starts in the 2022-23 season of Ligue 1, Cherki recorded four goals and six assists, proving that he can operate in various attacking positions. Equally adept with both feet, the Frenchman can play as a winger, second striker, No. 10, and even as a false 9.

Chelsea isn't the only club interested in Cherki, and there are reports that Manchester City and Bayern Munich are also monitoring the player's progress. However, the connection between Lyon and Chelsea, created when the French side sold Malo Gusto to the London club in January, could potentially facilitate negotiations between the clubs for the purchase of Cherki.

While Chelsea is currently linked with a move for Juventus' Dusan Vlahovic, and Brighton's Moises Caicedo, their interest in Cherki indicates that they intend to transfer spree to rebuild their squad under the guidance of Mauricio Pochettino.

With Rayan Cherki's recent performances with the French national team at the UEFA Under-21 European Championship attracting the attention of Chelsea scouts, the London club looks set to make bids for the player. Chelsea fans will be keen to see the club quickly wrap up negotiations and sign Cherki to build a formidable squad capable of returning to the top of the table and challenging for the Premier League title once again.