Rayan Ait-Nouri could leave Manchester City as January interest grows

Rayan Ait-Nouri is expected to consider leaving Manchester City in January, with intermediaries already speaking to several clubs, including Manchester United.

The Algeria international has struggled for regular football since joining Manchester City from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2025 and has yet to play in the Premier League under manager Enzo Maresca.

Maresca has made his position on the defender clear, telling Manchester City sporting director Hugo Viana that Ait-Nouri is not currently his first-choice option. The manager also highlighted the competition the player faces for a place in the team.

Viana is now working on a plan for Ait-Nouri’s departure, with Manchester City keen to resolve the defender’s future before the January transfer window opens. Reports suggest the club will seek to recover about £30m through a deal for the 23-year-old.

Manchester United are among the clubs being kept informed of developments. They were offered the opportunity to sign Ait-Nouri on the final day of the previous transfer window and had shown interest in the Algeria international, but there was not enough time to complete the move before the deadline.

Communication between the two Manchester clubs has since resumed, while intermediaries assess whether an agreement can be reached for Ait-Nouri to move at the start of the new year.

Ait-Nouri is understood to be open to joining Manchester United. If the transfer goes ahead, he would become the first player to move directly from Manchester City to Manchester United since Owen Hargreaves made the switch in 2011.

Everton have also expressed an interest in the defender. However, they would only be able to sign him if they complete a permanent deal for Jack Grealish, because Premier League rules prevent clubs from loaning two players from the same team.

Manchester City are willing to consider a loan move for Ait-Nouri, giving interested clubs the chance to sign him without immediately committing to a permanent transfer fee.

However, any temporary agreement would be expected to include an option to make the move permanent. That clause would become applicable if Ait-Nouri made a specified number of appearances agreed between the clubs.

The negotiations remain focused on whether a January arrangement can be reached, with Manchester United and Everton among the clubs monitoring the situation.