Man City star is ‘open’ to joining Man Utd in a surprising January transfer as the asking price is decided
Manchester City wing-back Rayan Ait-Nouri is reportedly open to joining their rivals, Manchester United, in January. City have already set a price for him.
Ait-Nouri joined City from Wolves in the summer of 2025 but played only 17 Premier League games last season under Pep Guardiola. His game time has stayed limited under the new manager, Enzo Maresca.
Maresca prefers Nico O’Reilly and Josko Gvardiol at left wing-back, using Ait-Nouri for just 168 minutes across all competitions. So, a move away this January seems possible.
“He’s a clear full-back,” said Maresca. “We have Josko, who is doing great, and Nico, who is also doing well when fit. They all compete for the same spot.”
The 25-year-old made only his fourth appearance this season recently, coming off the bench in the Carabao Cup win on penalties. But his future at City is uncertain. According to TEAMtalk, City’s sporting director Hugo Viana wants to sort out his future before January.
After missing out on a last-minute loan move, Manchester United are now being kept in the loop about Ait-Nouri’s situation. They want to sign a left-back after Luke Shaw’s injury, and Ait-Nouri is reportedly open to a move since he hasn’t played in any of City’s first eight Premier League games.
The 33-time Algeria international has a contract until June 2030 and could cost around £30 million. City might also agree to a loan with an option to buy, giving other clubs a chance to get him without a full commitment straight away.
If United and City agree a deal, Ait-Nouri would be the first player since Owen Hargreaves in 2011 to move directly between these rival clubs.
So far, 14 players have played for both teams since World War II. Famous names include Carlos Tevez, Peter Schmeichel, Andy Cole, and Andrei Kanchelskis. If Ait-Nouri makes the switch, he’d be the 15th.