Signing of World Cup winner adds to sense that this is the summer when BlueCo got serious in transfer market

Carlo Cudicini was a very good goalkeeper. However, José Mourinho was ruthless when he became Chelsea manager in 2004. Very good was not good enough. Mourinho wanted the best and one of the main factors behind the Portuguese winning the Premier League during his first season in charge was the decision to replace Cudicini with Petr Cech.

There is an old line about a great goalkeeper being worth 15 points a season. It is not for nothing, for instance, that Brian Clough regarded Peter Shilton as one of his most important signings at Nottingham Forest. Shilton was key when Forest defied the odds by winning the Division One title in 1978 and there are plenty of other examples of promising teams taking the next step only after buying a top No 1.

All who attend the Rayan Cherki show know the ticket comes with a guarantee of entertainment. Enzo Maresca, a manager famed for his obsessive positional control, does not need to put limits on the Manchester City wizard. Cherki has to feel free and he was at his creative best against Crystal Palace, who were in this game before City’s creative heartbeat took it away from them in the second half.

It has been a fine start to the former Lyon player’s second year in England. Cherki was inspired against Bournemouth last week, coming off the bench to spark City’s fightback from 1-0 down with two assists, and this was better. The Frenchman scored twice and the first, a little prod with the outside of his left foot after a mazy run, left you wondering if you have seen something like it before.