Manchester United, Rayan Ait-Nouri
Rayan Ait-Nouri could remain a player of interest to Manchester United
Sky Sports reporter Danyal Khan has revealed the top three left-back targets at Manchester United, with a Manchester City man “interesting” after the summer.
United wanted to land a new left-back in the summer, but failed to do so. With Shaw failing to convince, and his contract up in the summer, a new left-sided defender – or more than one – looks to be a must.
Rayan Ait-Nouri was courted at the end of the summer window, but Manchester City didn’t want to simply loan him to their rivals – adamant about receiving a fee for him.
But after only 105 minutes this season, Sky Sports reporter Khan feels there could be a proposition on the table in January.
He said on Transfer Talk Podcast: “I’d be very surprised, especially if Luke Shaw’s injury concerns continue and if Patrick Dorgu can’t really deputise in that position properly over the next few months.
“Rayan Ait-Nouri is interesting. Manchester City were insistent that there needed to be a permanent option included in any deal for him. It’s quite clear Enzo Maresca isn’t playing him that much, doesn’t really fancy him in that position.
“So I just wonder in January, do Manchester City actually go ‘we’ll just give you him for half a season,’ because he keeps his value up and you can sell him in the summer and get a higher value for him rather than a player just sitting on the bench. That might work out for everyone.”
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Myles Lewis-Skelly remains on Man Utd radar
Khan has also detailed that Arsenal defender Myles Lewis-Skelly and Lewis Hall remain high on the list, after there were rumours the former had been offered to United in the summer.
“I think they are focussed on next summer, Lewis Hall is still very much top [of the list]. I wouldn’t discount Myles Lewis-Skelly, even before the summer, he was someone they really like,” Khan said.
“It was a situation they monitored throughout last season, and there was as feeling going into the summer, could he be one Arsenal cash in on?
“I don’t think anyone expected him to start the Champions League final in midfield. I think it surprised everyone when Mikel Arteta said he’s been training for six months as a midfielder.
“I think how important he became for that Arsenal team probably surprised everyone.
“Over the summer it was quite interesting. Arsenal say there was no such suggestion, he was never for sale, but, we saw Gabriel Martinelli, they were open to one big sale in the summer.
“Bruno Guimaraes’ injury in the Community Shield made for certain Lewis-Skelly was not for sale, purely from a numbers point of view.
“But he is someone Manchester United do really admire, they have admired for a long time. There’s a lot of talk around Lewis Hall but all I’m saying is I think Lewis-Skelly’s situation next summer, depending on how much he plays this season, I would keep an eye on it.”
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