Manchester City are pursuing a deal to sign Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Agreements still need to be reached between the clubs and with the 23-year-old, however, all parties now expect a move to happen.
Rayan Ait-Nouri has emerged as City’s top target
Rayan Ait-Nouri has emerged as City’s top target to strengthen at left-back after four impressive seasons since joining Wolves on a permanent basis, which followed a loan spell from Angers.
Central defender Josko Gvardiol was City’s most regular left-back before academy graduate midfielder Nico O’Reilly impressed in the position over the final months of the campaign.
City are next in action at the Club World Cup in the United States
City are next in action at the Club World Cup in the United States where they will face Wydad AC, Al Ain and Juventus in Group G of the newly-expanded competition.
Ait-Nouri has made 157 appearances for Wolves since joining, initially on loan, in 2020. He made 41 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring five goals and adding seven assists.
He made 41 appearances in all competitions this season
The Algeria international’s best performances for Wolves have come almost exclusively from a wing-back position outside three central defenders, where his explosive and unpredictable attacking strengths can shine and his defensive abilities and positional weaknesses can be hidden to a greater extent.
Ait-Nouri is a dynamic player who can tuck into the midfield
He is a great wing-back and can also play in the middle of the field. He can be a great addition to Pep’s Manchester City as he needs players who are great with the ball and can play according to his style. Ait-Nouri is a dynamic player who can tuck into the midfield and can increase the number of players in the centre of the field.
Although, lately Nico O’Reilly and Josko Gvardiol have acted as attacking full-backs who crash into the final-third but Ait-Nouri can play as an attacking full-back as well as he can shift into the midfield area to build-up play.
