Manchester City full-back Rayan Aït-Nouri has disclosed the advice given to him by manager Pep Guardiola following his arrival at the club — and why the opportunity to work under the Spanish tactician ultimately convinced him to join the reigning Premier League champions.
Aït-Nouri signed for City this summer from Wolverhampton Wanderers and is currently part of their FIFA Club World Cup squad.
Speaking to The Mirror, the 24-year-old revealed how Guardiola encouraged him to express himself without fear.
“The coach (Guardiola) asked me to play my own way without pressure — to drive forward with the ball and deliver crosses into the box,” he said. “I always try to stick to his advice, and I hope we perform well in the upcoming stages.”
Describing his style, Aït-Nouri added, “It’s a feeling of freedom. I’m very happy to play this way, without pressure. I love moving forward with the ball towards goal and creating chances for the striker — this has become part of my style now.”
The Algerian international stressed that the chance to work with Guardiola was a decisive factor in his move to the Etihad.
“The main reason I came was to work with Pep. I feel I can develop more and win titles with him.”
“It’s a great honour to train under him. I can improve my performance significantly with him. He’s the best coach, and I’m very happy to work with him. I’ll definitely improve my game.”
City have advanced to the Club World Cup Round of 16 alongside Juventus, with Aït-Nouri playing a role in their opening win over Wydad Casablanca.
