Three weeks before the start of AFCON 2025, Manchester City have officially approached the Algerian Football Federation to arrange Rayan Ait-Nouri's arrival with the national team.
According to several English media outlets, including The Athletic, Pep Guardiola's club want the left-back to join the Algeria national team's AFCON 2025 training camp two days late, on 17th December instead of 15th, the date planned by the Fennecs' manager Vladimir Petkovic and FIFA for the start of the gathering.
Ait-Nouri's start to season disrupted by injuries
© Iconsport
The Citizens' request is explained by a particularly packed schedule. Between 1st and 17th December, City must play five major matches, including a highly anticipated Champions League clash against Real Madrid. In this period where every point counts, Guardiola wants to ensure he has Ait-Nouri available, recruited this summer from Wolverhampton and considered an important option down the left flank.
However, the 23-year-old Algeria international has not yet fully found his rhythm in England. Hampered by several physical niggles, he has only played seven official matches, including four as a starter. Nine encounters have passed him by through injury and he has remained on the bench during four others. A forced adaptation period, which is pushing Manchester City to optimise every period when the player is operational.
City insist they count on Ait-Nouri after AFCON
According to The Mirror, Guardiola has made it known to Ait-Nouri, as well as Egyptian Omar Marmoush, also concerned by AFCON, that he is counting on them for the second half of the season. The Catalan manager wants to limit their unavailability as much as possible whilst avoiding entering into conflict with the African national teams.
The final word will go to the FAF and Vladimir Petkovic, who will have to decide between the national team's needs and the English club's desire to preserve their player. Approaching a competition held close to Algeria, and where the Fennecs have ambitions of going far, every day of preparation counts.
This article was originally published on Afrik Foot.