Manchester United attempted a late move for Manchester City left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri this summer but could not get a deal across the line. The Red Devils were looking to add more cover for Luke Shaw, who is already in the final 12 months of his contract.
The English giants turned to the left-back position late in the summer after initially focusing all their efforts on strengthening the midfield. United identified Newcastle United left-back Lewis Hall as a priority option for the job, but the Magpies refused to let him go.
The Red Devils also considered a move for Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde, but had little luck in that pursuit either. In a desperate attempt to reinforce the left-back position before the end of the transfer window, United set their sights on Ait-Nouri.
Ait-Nouri’s struggles at Man City
Ait-Nouri joined Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020, initially on a season-long loan from Angers. A product of the French club’s academy, the Algerian hit the ground running at Molineux, paving the path for his permanent stay the following summer.
Ait-Nouri went on to spend four more seasons with the Midlands club and established himself as one of the finest in his position in the league. Manchester City came calling last summer, but the 25 year old has not had the desired impact at the Etihad so far.
Last season, Ait-Nouri registered five assists in 28 appearances in all competitions, 20 of which were starts.
Rayan Ait-Nouri Stats: 2025/26 Season
| Competition | Appearances | Starts | Goals | Assists | Yellow cards | Red cards | Minutes played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier League | 17 | 12 | - | 2 | 2 | - | 976' |
| UEFA Champions League | 6 | 4 | - | - | 1 | - | 339' |
| EFL Cup | 3 | 2 | - | 2 | 1 | - | 155' |
| FA Cup | 2 | 2 | - | 1 | - | - | 135' |
| Total | 28 | 20 | - | 5 | 4 | - | 1,605' |
Source: Transfermarkt.
United attempted to take advantage of the player’s lack of game time to secure his signature, but their efforts failed to bear fruit. A fresh update has now explained why the move never materialised.
City did not want Ait-Nouri to join United
According to Football Insider, City had no desire to allow Ait-Nouri to move to Old Trafford this summer. The report states: “Man United had no chance of signing Rayan Ait-Nouri on Deadline Day as Man City were not keen to let him join a rival club, sources have told Football Insider.”
The report insists that the Citizens will not let the Algerian leave in January either, continuing: “City also want Ait-Nouri to stay at the club past the January window, with Enzo Maresca planning to utilise him in several competitions this season.”
Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, journalist Pete O’Rourke added: “There were some links with Manchester United on deadline day, but that was never going to go anywhere because I don’t think Manchester City were willing to let him leave, especially to a rival like Manchester United as well.”
“He will be needed at left-back this season, there’s no doubt about that, because obviously they’ve used Nico O’Reilly there, but he’s also been used in midfield, and then they’ve got Gvardiol too, who’s probably best at centre-back.”
Final Thoughts
Ait-Nouri could have been a fine long-term replacement for Shaw at Old Trafford. However, with City unlikely to allow the Algerian to move to United any time soon, INEOS should turn their attention to alternative targets in 2027.
Featured image Michael Regan via Getty Images
