Enzo Maresca is set to retain Rayan Ait-Nouri at Manchester City beyond January 2027 after a surprise loan approach from Old Trafford on deadline day did not materialise, as per a new report.
Rayan Ait-Nouri was linked with a deadline day loan switch to Manchester United.
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The 25-year-old Algeria international joined Manchester City from Wolves last summer for £31 million, penning a five-year contract until June 2030.
He established himself as one of the most exciting left-backs in the Premier League during his time at Wolves, where his pace, delivery and willingness to attack from deep made him a consistent threat across four seasons at the Molineux Stadium.
Maresca Planning to Keep Ait-Nouri Past January 2027
Ait-Nouri's start to his second campaign at the Etihad Stadium has been managed carefully by Maresca, with the left-back yet to nail down a regular starting berth in the opening weeks of the season.
However, according to journalist Pete O'Rourke, Maresca intends to keep Ait-Nouri at the club beyond the January window and will hand him more opportunities as the season progresses.
The Algerian is understood to be settled and content in his current position within the squad, with no desire to move on following the failed United approach on deadline day.
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.cityxtra.co.ukManchester 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.
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O'Rourke's report confirms that City blocked the Manchester United approach without hesitation, viewing Ait-Nouri as a key option given his status as the squad's only specialist left-back.
The United approach itself drew significant attention, less for its likelihood of success and more for what it said about the left-back market across the Premier League.
City acted quickly and clearly to shut it down, and the full-back's response in Portugal suggested a player with no desire to dwell on the noise generated in the final hours of the window.
How Has Ait-Nouri Fared at Man City This Season?
The Algerian did not feature from the start in any of City's first four competitive fixtures, but demonstrated his value when introduced as a substitute in the Champions League opener at Porto on Tuesday, providing the assist that set up Erling Haaland's opener and helping City close out a 2-0 victory in Portugal.
His involvement at the Estádio do Dragão was the first meaningful action Ait-Nouri has seen under his new manager, and it came just days after the transfer window had closed on a deadline day in which Manchester United made an approach for the full-back that City blocked outright.
The Algerian's role in the squad extends beyond what his early-season involvement might suggest - and Maresca is understood to have made clear in internal discussions that he sees Ait-Nouri as part of his plans for the rest of the campaign.