Manchester City are closing in on the £36.3 million ($49.1 million) signing of Wolverhampton Wanderers left-back Rayan Aït-Nouri, multiple reports have stated.
The 24-year-old is set to undergo medical with the dethroned Premier League champions and will be available to play in the upcoming Club World Cup providing the transfer is completed by June 10.
Aït-Nouri was a standout player for Wolves in what was a difficult 2024–25 campaign. Embroiled in a relegation battle during the first half of the season, the decision to appoint Vitor Pereira as a replacement for Gary O’Neil proved to be an inspired one as the Portuguese manager successfully led the club away from danger.
Pereira was able to lean on the talents of Aït-Nouri and Matheus Cunha, who has already joined Manchester United this summer, but now faces the prospect of losing the Algerian full-back in a deal that will earn Wolves an initial £31.3 million.
A further £5m in performance related add-ons has been agreed, BBC Sport report, and Aït-Nouri now just needs to pass a medical to become a City player having already struck personal terms.
Aït-Nouri recently described manager Pep Guardiola as a “great coach” while away on international duty with Algeria and the feeling is likely mutual given the legendary Spaniard had made the 24-year-old his primary target to help fill City’s void at left-back.
Guardiola turned to impressive teenager Nico O'Reilly—a midfielder by trade— towards the end of the 2024–25 campaign, having previously tasked central defender Joško Gvardiol with covering the position. Nathan Aké and Rico Lewis have also been deployed on the left by Guardiola, who often inverts his full-backs in games depending on City’s dominance and volume of possession.
Aït-Nouri has shown he’s capable of operating as a traditional left-back, flying down the wing to overlap and put crosses into the box, while he also demonstrated an ability last season to operate in central areas and become more of a goal threat. That versatility, as well as his speed, will appeal greatly to Guardiola, who will have Premier League title glory on his mind immediately after City compete in this summer’s inaugural 32-team Club World Cup.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Manchester City ‘Agree £36.3 Million Transfer’, Pep Guardiola Labelled ‘Great Coach’.
