**Manchester City defender Rayan Ait-Nouri has hailed compatriot Riyad Mahrez for an accurate verdict of life at the Etihad Stadium before the former’s transfer from Wolves.**
Ait-Nouri became Manchester City’s first summer signing of 2025 as Hugo Viana orchestrated a significant reijg of Pep Guardiola’s ranks in the backdrop of a dismal 2024-25 season that the Catalan manager deemed as his most challenging year in England.
City bid farewell to a series of senior stars over the course of a sliding doors transfer window last summer, with all of Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Scott Carson, Ederson, Jack Grealish and Manuel Akanji leaving ahead of the current season.
The Blues are still on course for an unprecedented quadruple as they embark on the business end of the season, having progressed to the Carabao Cup final, FA Cup fifth round and the Round of 16 stage of the UEFA Champions League.
Guardiola’s troops are looking to hunt Arsenal down in the title race, with the Gunners losing a further grip on their hold of first place in the table after squandering a two-goal lead against Wolves at the Molineux Stadium on Wednesday night.
City’s recent ascent has been underpinned by stability in defence as a result of key players returning from injury. Ait-Nouri has also finally settled into the starting XI after returning from a series of ankle injuries and the Africa Cup of Nations.
The 24-year-old has established himself as one of the first names on the teamsheet in recent weeks, allowing Nico O’Reilly to make an impact higher up the pitch as a box-to-box midfielder.
In a recent YouTube interview with Manchester City media channel [Blue Moon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MSOXVUnVDw&t=1s), Ait-Nouri revealed that his decision to join forces with Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium was influenced by compatriot and former City forward Riyad Mahrez, who enjoyed a successful, trophy-laden spell at the club between 2018-23.
“I used to talk to him (Mahrez) a lot, even at Wolves,” Ait-Nouri said. “At Manchester City, he told me about the club and city. Everything he told me was true; the city is great, we would be welcomed well in the locker room, everyone is very nice – that’s exactly what I found.”
Ait-Nouri went on to issue special praise on Manchester City assistant coach Kolo Toure, whose French-speaking skills came in handy for the left-back’s adaptation to his new club’s training methods.
“Like I said in a previous interview, he’s someone who has given a lot to defenders; he was a defender himself,” Ait-Nouri added on Toure. “He also speaks French so communication is easier. He has a big brother role here. We communicate a lot and the more I progress, the more advice he gives me – on and off the pitch. It’s a pleasure to work with him.”
City are competing for silverware on four fronts in the coming months and while the jury remains out on whether Guardiola’s new-look dressing room has what it takes to sustain the marathon, their recent upturn in form certainly has Arsenal worried.