Rayan Ait-Nouri faces uncertain Manchester City future amid January transfer interest

Rayan Ait-Nouri’s Manchester City career is reportedly in serious doubt after the Algeria international fell further down the pecking order under manager Enzo Maresca.

Football Insider says the 25-year-old left-back is considered “finished” at City, having become the club’s third-choice option behind Josko Gvardiol and Nico O’Reilly. Ait-Nouri joined from Wolverhampton in the summer of 2025 in a £37m deal and signed a five-year contract.

The Algeria international made 28 appearances in all competitions during his first season at the club, providing five assists. However, he missed most of December and January while representing Algeria at the Africa Cup of Nations.

He ended that campaign with winners’ medals in both the FA Cup and League Cup, although he did not feature in either final at Wembley.

Ait-Nouri’s opportunities have become even more limited this season. He has not played in the Premier League during the 2026-2027 campaign, has made only two substitute appearances in the Champions League and has started just twice, both times in the League Cup.

Although he remains determined to compete for his place, Football Insider reports that he is not expected to move ahead of either Gvardiol or O’Reilly in the near future.

His difficult club situation has coincided with problems at international level. Ait-Nouri was left out of Algeria’s squad by manager Brahim Hemdani for the current international window following an unfortunate incident during the previous gathering.

With the winter transfer window approaching, the former Angers player is now facing a decision over his future and could ask to leave Manchester City in January.

Manchester rivals and Juventus linked

A move to Manchester United was discussed towards the end of the summer transfer window, with the club understood to have considered making another approach in January.

Personal terms are not expected to prevent a deal for Ait-Nouri. However, the relationship between Manchester City and Manchester United is reportedly the “main problem” standing in the way of a transfer between the two clubs.

Juventus have also been regularly linked with the defender. A move to Italy appears to be a more realistic possibility at this stage, although the Turin club may prefer to negotiate an initial loan rather than a permanent transfer.

Ait-Nouri’s immediate prospects at City therefore remain limited, with his lack of Premier League football and his omission from Algeria’s squad adding to the uncertainty over his next move.