Man City target Wolves defender Ait-Nouri

Manchester City leader Pep Guardiola has put Rayan Ait-Nouri astatine nan apical of his database to lick his side's problematic left-back spot.

City person been operating without a master left-back since Benjamin Mendy left. He made his past quality for nan nine successful August 2021.

Oleksandr Zinchenko, Joao Cancelo and Josko Gvardiol are among nan players who person had extended stints successful nan position.

Youngster Nico O'Reilly past filled nan domiciled towards nan extremity of past season, including nan FA Cup last conclusion by Crystal Palace.

However, Guardiola is keen to reside nan rumor this summertime and Wolves defender Ait-Nouri is nan man he wants.

No statement is successful spot yet for nan 23-year-old Algeria world but sources are assured it will happen.

Ait-Nouri has been named successful Algeria's squad for their friendlies against Rwanda (5 June) and Sweden (10 June).

City would request to complete nan transportation earlier 10 June successful bid for Ait-Nouri to beryllium disposable for nan group shape of nan Club World Cup.

Ait-Nouri delivered much extremity involvements (11) than immoderate different Premier League defender past word to underline his proficiency erstwhile joining attacks.

In summation only Leif Davis (61), Pedro Porro (57) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (53) created much chances for team-mates to people than nan erstwhile Angers man (46).

Aaron Wan-Bissaka was nan only top-flight defender to complete much dribbles (64) than Ait-Nouri (63) past term.

And his tight shot power and gait going guardant compares pinch players which Guardiola has antecedently favoured successful that role.

He will besides beryllium alert that Ait-Nouri has displayed nan expertise to snuff retired threat quickly and astatine source.

When nan 2024-25 run concluded Ait-Nouri had won possession backmost much than immoderate different Premier League defender successful nan last third, pinch Crystal Palace's Daniel Munoz a adjacent second.

Former Wolves coach Edu Rubio, who worked pinch Ait-Nouri during nan 2022-23 season

His method competency, his expertise and accomplishment successful tight areas - keeping nan shot adjacent to his feet - springiness him nan opportunity to fresh perfectly into Pep Guardiola's possession-based play.

He tin besides dribble pinch speed, to get nan squad up nan transportation driving pinch nan ball, which is astir apt what Manchester City request correct now - players who tin break lines.

Defensively he has improved his crippled since his presence to nan Premier League and his one-v-one defending is of a very bully standard. He tin header physically and is simply a very versatile subordinate who tin run successful immoderate position down nan flank, aliases by playing arsenic an inverted full-back.

He needs to amended his decision-making connected nan shot - he tin return 1 touch excessively galore astatine times and slow down nan shot velocity down successful a possession crippled that Pep loves. He besides needs to activity connected his extremity merchandise successful attack.

At a nine for illustration City he will request to get his assistance ratio higher, but it is thing he tin decidedly do.