Manchester City Advance Plans to Sign Wolves Defender Rayan Ait-Nouri
Manchester City have stepped up their plans to sign Wolves defender Rayan Ait-Nouri as they prepare for the upcoming transfer window, according to reports from the Manchester Evening News. The Premier League champions are moving forward with efforts to land the £50m left-back in what could be their first transfer of a summer that is expected to be busy.
The Manchester Evening News understands that Ait-Nouri would become the first left-back signed since Angelino in 2019 if City were to land him. A number of players have filled in the role, with homegrown No.10 Nico O’Reilly the latest after centre-back Josko Gvardiol had made the position his own. Signing Ait-Nouri would signal City’s intent to have specialist full-backs again, with a right-back also expected to be brought in as Kyle Walker is set for the exit door.
The Manchester Evening News reports that nothing has been agreed with Wolves but, as The Athletic report, there is now confidence that a deal for Ait-Nouri will be done. Manchester City are also pursuing moves for midfielders Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan and Lyon’s Rayan Cherki, while there have also been changes in the dugout. Three of Pep Guardiola’s assistants have left the club since the end of the season and Jurgen Klopp’s former assistant Pep Ljinders has agreed to join the staff.
Speaking last week in his annual address, chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak acknowledged that the club hadn’t been aggressive enough in the transfer market last summer. “When I look back, last summer, we probably should have been more aggressive in some of the changes we needed to do. We didn’t do that and that ended up costing us this year. We already started that rebuild of this team in January,” he said. The Manchester Evening News notes that Al Mubarak’s comments highlight the club’s desire to be more proactive in the transfer market this summer.
The Manchester Evening News also reports that Manchester City’s plan is to have most of the players signed in time for the Club World Cup, which starts next week. Al Mubarak added: “Normally we like to do our business in the summer and only in case of emergency, a special need that comes up, do we actually go and do business in January. That’s been our MO at least for the last seven or eight years. But this January, we had to act.” He also stated that the club has “clearly identified who exactly are the targets, in what positions, and we have our clear number one option, our clear number two option. And we’ll go about our business, and it will be very clear, very swift.”
The pursuit of Rayan Ait-Nouri is part of Manchester City’s broader strategy to strengthen their squad ahead of the new season. As noted by the Manchester Evening News, the club is looking to build on the foundations laid in January, when they brought in several new players to boost their squad. With the transfer window now open, Manchester City is expected to be active in the coming weeks, with Ait-Nouri a key target.
The potential signing of Ait-Nouri has significant implications for Manchester City’s squad dynamics. As reported by the Manchester Evening News, the club is looking to have specialist full-backs again, with Ait-Nouri potentially forming part of a new-look defence. With Kyle Walker expected to leave the club, Manchester City is also on the lookout for a new right-back, adding depth and competition to their defensive ranks.
For more information on Manchester City’s transfer plans, readers can visit the Manchester Evening News website, which provides dedicated coverage and analysis of the club’s activities. The Manchester Evening News also offers a free WhatsApp group, newsletter service, and Talking City podcast, providing fans with the latest news, updates, and expert analysis.
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