Manchester Metropolis have confirmed the signing of RayanAït-Nouri from Wolves for a payment of £36.3m, and it may very well be one of many shrewdest bits of enterprise of the summer season switch window. Pep Guardiola has been crying out for a pure left again for years, and now he has a participant who can storm ahead and add an additional factor to assaults as nicely.
Aït-Nouri has been one of many few positives in a struggling Wolves aspect for a lot of seasons, and now the Algerian has the prospect to take his recreation to the following degree beneath one of many biggest managers on the planet.
Manchester Metropolis Lastly Land a Pure Left-Again
After years of plugging the place with transformed centre-backs and utility gamers, Metropolis might have lastly discovered the perfect participant to repair their issues at left-back. Aït-Nouri was an early acquisition in the summertime switch market, and he has already made his debut within the Membership World Cup.
The previous Wolves man took half within the 6-0 thrashing of Al Ain, and showcased his full vary of talents within the demolition job. An article within the Guardian described how Guardiola was thrilled together with his efficiency, with the Spaniard saying that he was “actually happy with the sport he performed.”
Guardiola is known for placing sq. pegs in spherical holes and in some way making it work, and his Metropolis aspect have managed with out a pure left again for years. Portuguese star João Cancelo shined within the function for a number of seasons, however since his departure, the aspect has clearly been missing on this division.
Premier League-Prepared and Statistically Spectacular
After a disappointing season in 2024-25, Guardiola couldn’t afford to get issues improper within the switch market. He recognized left-back as a key place to deal with, and introduced in a Premier League-proven participant to unravel the issue. That is more likely to be a superb technique, as Aït-Nouri has already proven that he can lower it in opposition to the highest groups at his former membership. With established stars round him and the steerage of Guardiola, he can take that to the following degree at Metropolis.
Aït-Nouri’s numbers are already spectacular. He has 135 top-flight appearances beneath his belt already, and notched 4 objectives and 7 assists within the earlier marketing campaign. The addition of this expertise to Metropolis’s lineup has already induced some sportsbooks to start favouring Metropolis to climb again to the highest of the desk within the season forward. Certainly, the chances out there at Betway Sports activities have Metropolis at 9/4 to win the 2025-26 marketing campaign as of the twenty sixth of June, with them positioned as joint-second favourites alongside Arsenal and behind Liverpool.
Together with having good defensive self-discipline, Aït-Nouri has already established himself as probably the most attacking fullbacks within the Premier League. Lots of his attributes are harking back to Kyle Walker’s, and if he can have the identical affect that the Englishman had at Metropolis, it will likely be excellent news for Guardiola.
Aït-Nouri’s Tactical Versatility Might Result in Surprises From Guardiola
Even it appears apparent that Aït-Nouri might be coming to Metropolis to play as a left again, it’s not out of the query to ponder whether or not Guardiola has totally different plans for the participant. The previous Barcelona supervisor has been identified to repurpose gamers in several positions all through his profession, typically seeing one thing in them that different coaches haven’t seen. Certainly, as famous in OneFootball, one of many biggest strikes of Guardiola’s profession was when he remodeled Lionel Messi right into a central playmaker.
Aït-Nouri has attributes that would make it potential to play him in a unique place to a conventional left-back. He has already proven that he’s able to inverting into midfield and overlapping with fluidity, that means that he may very well be utilized in alternative ways relying on the sport state of affairs. It will make it exhausting for opposing coaches to foretell what Guardiola plans to do, that means that Aït-Nouri may very well be an actual ace within the gap for the supervisor subsequent season.
Guardiola wants an prompt comeback after final season’s disappointment, and the signing of Aït-Nouri is a large assertion. The participant can serve a spread of roles at Metropolis however, most significantly, he gives them a strong possibility at left again for the primary time in years. There’s an opportunity that the Algerian might go on to be the signing of the season.
