Rayan Ait-Nouri looks to be on his way out of Wolves.(Image: Getty Images)
Manchester City are ramping up plans to sign Wolves defender Rayan Ait-Nouri this summer. Pep Guardiola and Co are pushing ahead with their efforts to secure the £50m left-back in what could be their first transfer of the summer.
The former Premier League champions are keen to get business done by the time of the new-look World Club Championship in the US later this month, so a deal could be sealed within the next 10 days.
If so, Ait-Nouri will be the first left-back signed by City since Angelino in 2019. Several players have filled the role, with homegrown No 10 Nico O'Reilly being the most recent after centre-back Josko Gvardiol had made the position his own.
While nothing has been finalised with Wolves, The Athletic reports that there is now confidence that a deal for Ait-Nouri will be completed.
The Algeria international played 37 times for Wolves in the Premier League last season, scoring four goals and providing seven assists for his team-mates. He is a player manager Vitor Pereira was keen to keep, but it seems the club are likely to cash in instead.
Securing his signature would indicate City's intention to once again have specialist full-backs, with a right-back also expected to be recruited as Kyle Walker appears to be heading for the exit, reports [the Manchester Evening News](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/man-city-step-up-plans-31769339).
In his annual address last week, City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak admitted the club hadn't been aggressive enough in the transfer market last summer.
"When I look back, last summer, we probably should have been more aggressive in some of the changes we needed to do. We didn't do that and that ended up costing us this year. We already started that rebuild of this team in January," he reflected.
"Normally we like to do our business in the summer and only in case of emergency, a special need that comes up, do we actually go and do business in January. That's been our MO at least for the last seven or eight years. But this January, we had to act.
"And I can tell you today, we have clearly identified who exactly are the targets, in what positions, and we have our clear number one option, our clear number two option. We'll go about our business, and it will be very clear, very swift."
Wolves did their first deal of the summer over the weekend when an agreement was struck with Manchester United to sell star man Matheus Cunha for around £65m.
Meanwhile, attacking midfielder Pablo Sarabia has been released and out-of-contract centre-half Craig Dawson is said to be wanted by Championship sides Derby County and Wrexham.
Sarabia posted an emotional message to Wolves supporters via Instagram. The 33-year-old said: “Two and a half seasons ago, I had the chance to become part of the Wolves family and experience a league as competitive as the @premierleague.
“It’s been an exciting challenge, and even though we went through tough moments, we reached our goals — thanks to the unity between the club and the fans.
“Now it’s time to start a new chapter, taking with me some amazing memories from a club that my family and I will never forget.
“Wishing you all the best for the future. Once a Wolf, always a Wolf. Thank you @wolves.”