Wolves fans have watched plenty of players come to Molineux and then move on.
Since Wolves gained promotion back to the Premier League in 2018, some seriously talented individuals have graced the Molineux turf.
Fosun were great in their early years of running the club, providing the funds necessary to progress the team.
Some feel the level of investment hasn’t really been up to scratch though in recent years, with Wolves having finished in the bottom half of the table for the last three seasons.
Many supporters have criticised the transfer policy that has been enforced since Fosun came aboard, and their self-sustaining model.
While it is good to see the club turning profits on players picked up for small fees, some feel this does not allow for actual meaningful progression, and can only mean fights against relegation and bottom half finishes at best.
And some have accused Wolves of actually undervaluing players when it comes to selling them.
And one player sold by the club is already looking like he went miles too cheap.
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Rayan Ait-Nouri could be an uncomfortable watch for Fosun as he dazzles on Man City debut
Rayan Ait-Nouri making his debut for Manchester City.
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Some Wolves fans will have heard that Ait-Nouri produced a superb performance on his debut for Manchester City against Al Ain at the Club World Cup.
Playing for the first time since leaving Wolves, Ait-Nouri started as a left-back for City, and blew fans away with his technical ability and footwork.
Manchester City fans raved over Ait-Nouri, with many remarking that he was a joy to watch.
And after the game, Pep Guardiola was left blown away by Ait-Nouri, describing him as ‘intelligent’.
Ait-Nouri gave that feeling to Wolves fans many times during his five years at Molineux.
Rayan Ait-Nouri on Man City debut vs Al Ain
Minutes played – 90
Touches – 92
Passes completed – 56/59 (95%)
Duels won – 8/16 (50%)
Defensive actions – 4
Dribbles completed – 4/6 (66%)
data via Sofascore
His quality was clear for all to see fairly quickly, and in the last two seasons Ait-Nouri really elevated his game.
There was always a chance that he could be sold in this window and on June 9, that came to pass.
He joined City, which perhaps wasn’t too much of a surprise in itself. What was surprising, however, was the fee that he transferred for.
It’s been widely reported that City snagged Ait-Nouri for just £36 million (Sky Sports) all in.
Wolves fans feared Ait-Nouri was being sold too cheaply at the time, and after just one appearance, with that verdict already looking bang on the money.
Ait-Nouri has been at City for all of five minutes, and has slotted in seamlessly, linking up with players as though he’s been playing with them for years.
Ben Foster recently claimed Wolves should have demanded £50 million for Ait-Nouri, and it’s hard to argue with that.
Ait-Nouri did have one year left on his contract, but Wolves had the option to extend. So, essentially he had two years, because there’s not a world in which Wanderers wouldn’t have taken up that option.
Ultimately, chairman Jeff Shi signs off on everything at Wolves – so he takes a lot of responsibility for this £36 million sale.
Wolves chairman Jeff Shi at the Etihad Stadium.
Photo by Molly Darlington/Copa/Getty Images
The figure is laughable, for a player who could genuinely become the best in the world in his position. And it’s made worse when you factor in Angers’ 50% sell-on clause that Wolves had to remove at a cost of £9.5 million.
Ait-Nouri is only going to thrive at City. He’s now working under arguably the greatest football manager ever and surrounded by world-class talents.
Wolves, under Shi’s instruction, should surely have made City work much, much harder. Especially since Ait-Nouri seemingly wasn’t even agitating to leave.
Bournemouth have shown Wolves how it’s done with Milos Kerkez deal
Ait-Nouri is one of the best attacking wing-backs in the Premier League.
No defender had more goal contributions than him in the Premier League, and that is another reason Wolves should have demanded top dollar for the Algerian, especially with a team like City interested in him.
One player who is similar to Ait-Nouri is Milos Kerkez.
He is joining Liverpool, and Bournemouth are managing to get £40 million for the Hungary international.
That should have been the minimum fee Wolves sold Ait-Nouri for.
Quite simply, given what Ait-Nouri could now become at City, this £36 million sale could haunt Wolves for years to come.