Manchester City has announced its first new signing of the summer: Rayan Ait Nouri is joining the Citizens and leaving Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Rayan Ait Nouri moved to the Premier League from French side Angers SCO in October 2020 and went on to make 135 appearances in England’s top flight for Wolverhampton Wanderers over the next four and a half years. Now the 23-year-old has decided to take the next step and signed a contract with third-placed Manchester City until June 2030.
The left-sided player is said to be worth almost €40 million to the Citizens. Despite the Wolves’ disappointing final position (16th), Ait Nouri put in some impressive performances last season, scoring four goals and providing seven assists in 37 Premier League appearances.
High ball wins as trump card
The Algerian international not only played more league games than any other Wolves player last season, but also became the league’s best defensive player in terms of points scored. According to data provider Opta, no other Premier League defender won the ball more often in the final third (21 times) – a statistic that is sure to have impressed City coach Pep Guardiola.
In the sky blue half of Manchester, Ait Nouri is likely to compete with both Josko Gvardiol and Nico O’Reilly for the left-back spot in the defense. After the former temporarily moved into central defense in the final stages of the season, 20-year-old O’Reilly gained important playing experience and even scored twice as a left-back.
