Manchester City are pushing to get their deal for Wolves’ Rayan Ait-Nouri over the line.
Pep Guardiola has wanted Ait-Nouri since 2020, and the Algerian is the legendary coach’s top target for the left-back role in his team next season after the 23-year-old impressed in the Premier League this season.
The full-back produced four goals and seven assists across 37 games in the English top flight, which made him one of the biggest defensive threats in the Premier League.
Ait-Nouri’s arrival will excite the forward players at Man City as his creativity will directly benefit them should the Manchester club get the transfer done over the coming days.
City are yet to agree a fee with Wolves for their left-back, and Liverpool may have just unintentionally helped the Manchester club land their top target for cheaper.
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Liverpool’s deal for Milos Kerkez could determine Rayan Ait-Nouri’s transfer fee
Man City showed interest in Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez ahead of the summer transfer window, however, the Hungarian preferred a move to Liverpool and was expected to cost the Reds around £45m.
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It was reported on Wednesday by Fabrizio Romano that Liverpool are closing in on the Cherries left-back, with the two clubs needing to finalise the deal after personal terms were agreed with the defender last week.
🚨🔴 Liverpool are prepared to seal Milos Kerkez deal with one more round of talks to get it over the line!
Bournemouth and Liverpool are finalizing the agreement after personal terms in place last week.
Here we go, soon. 💣🇭🇺 pic.twitter.com/YTBgYeXzxC
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 4, 2025
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Sky Sports have reported that the deal could now cost Liverpool around £40m, which is a boost to Man City as Wolves were basing their fee for Ait-Nouri on what the Reds were willing to pay for Kerkez.
Man City are currently working on finalising personal terms with Ait-Nouri before approaching Wolves to sign the left-back, with the Midlands club now expecting to receive between £40m-£45m for the 23-year-old, which is cheaper than originally reported.
Liverpool may have unintentionally helped City save £5m on the Algerian star, with only time revealing if that is the case.
How Rayan Ait-Nouri compares to Milos Kerkez
Both Ait-Nouri and Kerkez had brilliant seasons in the Premier League, and it is not hard to see why Man City had an interest in both players.
The Algerian will suit City more than the Hungarian international as the Wolves star is better going forward than the Cherries defender, who does the defensive side of the game better than the 23-year-old, which is what Guardiola needs from his left full-back.
Player Games Goals Assists Minutes
Rayan Ait-Nouri 37 4 7 3128
Milos Kerkez 38 2 6 3342
Rayan Ait-Nouri and Milos Kerkez’s 24/25 Premier League stats
Both players are moving to clubs that suit their styles, with the duo now expected to go up a level with better players around them.
Guardiola is also keen to add Newcastle’s Tino Livramento to his squad this summer, and if Man City can land the Magpies star, the Manchester club will have two lethal players on either side of their centre-backs.