Man Utd have just made Jason Wilcox’s potential £25m Rayan Cherki move easier than ever before

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Manchester United beat Lyon on Thursday night, but Rayan Cherki will likely still have had a little smile to himself after the game.

For Lyon’s star man, the Europa League quarter-final was a golden opportunity to get his name up in lights with a big performance.

In the truly ridiculous 5-4 victory for Manchester United over Lyon, Old Trafford got its first glimpse of what Rayan Cherki can do with the football, and his performance has left many craving more.

The tie against United was billed as the biggest of Cherki’s career, with a good performance likely to catapult him into the spotlight this summer as Europe’s elite begin to mull over a deal.

The 21-year-old lived up to his billing in the game as he scored for the second game running against Andre Onana. Afterwards, Cherki was raved about for his display against United in the MUTV studio.

In his starring role for Lyon, Rio Ferdinand liked that Cherki showcased his two-footed ability from set-pieces. So, Cherki did all he could to convince Jason Wilcox to make him a target this summer, but Old Trafford did its bit to convince the talented Frenchman.

• READ MORE: Who is Jason Wilcox? Meet the new Manchester United technical director

Old Trafford became Manchester United’s biggest selling point for Rayan Cherki

With reports suggesting United are leading the race to sign Cherki this summer, getting to face him over two legs was a unique opportunity to get a close look at him in action.

However, the outing at Old Trafford will not only have convinced United of his quality, but also convinced Cherki of a move to Manchester.

This is because he got to see Old Trafford at its sensational best, with the whole stadium rocking and going wild for the Red Devils after Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire in particular converted to equalise and then take the lead.

Cherki should have seen this and thought to himself, ‘I want to play in front of these fans on special European nights like this’, which will make Wilcox’s job a lot easier in convincing him.

Old Trafford could be the biggest selling point United have for Cherki, as they can point to the feeling he must have had while watching the celebrations. You cannot put that feeling in a bottle, but if he joins, he could be a part of it.

The Theatre of Dreams may be on its way out, but Thursday proved that it isn’t the stadium that makes it special, but the fans, and they are here to stay.

• READ: Who is Man Utd target Rayan Cherki? Age, position, stats and Eric Cantona comparisons

How Rayan Cherki played at Old Trafford

This summer, Cherki is only expected to cost £25m with a gentleman’s agreement in place between him and Lyon. This fee for a player of his quality is too good to pass up on.

Cherki scored in both legs of the tie, and on Friday, he played 107 minutes, creating four chances and completing three dribbles in this time as he once again caused serious problems for United’s defence.

If Lyon had gone on to win, Cherki would have been heralded for his performance, and when he left the pitch, they were 3-2 ahead after his goal in the 105th minute.

Cherki got fans off their seats, and he is exactly the kind of player that United need and have always had in the best teams. Cherki is a must-sign this summer.