With Riyad Mahrez having raised the bar for Algerian players to play for Manchester City, Rayan Ait-Nouri will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of the Al-Ahli winger at the Etihad Stadium.
But all the signs suggest that Ait-Nouri could succeed at Manchester City, considering he is the archetypal Pep Guardiola player; technically gifted, versatile and intelligent.
While his countryman Riyad Mahrez initially struggled at City despite being a Premier League champion at Leicester City, he went on to become a match-winner in sky blue.
Manchester City believe in Ait-Nouri as a player to the extent that they chose to sign him over Antonee Robinson, who is one of the league’s most complete left-backs.
Photo by Andrew Kearns - CameraSport via Getty Images
Photo by Andrew Kearns – CameraSport via Getty Images
Rayan Ait-Nouri says Riyad Mahrez told him Man City are “the biggest club in the world”
Rayan Ait-Nouri will be hoping to replicate Mahrez’s fearlessness, showmanship and determination to become the world-class player he was at Manchester City for years.
Ahead of his move to the Etihad Stadium, the now-former Wolves defender admitted he spoke to the treble-winner.
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Ait-Nouri told the club’s official in-house media that Mahrez told him to work hard and named Manchester City as “the biggest club in the world”, saying: “Yeah, yeah, I spoke also with Riyad. It’s the same with Matheus [Nunes], he told me about the city, you know and he told me to give everything for this club. It’s the biggest club in the world and yeah, I’ll try to follow him.”
The Algerian added: “To be honest, my choice was to join Manchester City from the beginning because what I said to my family, I want to play for this team, how they develop the game, how they play. I’m very happy to play here, it’s a big pleasure for me.”
What Mahrez said about Rayan Ait-Nouri’s move to Man City
Mahrez inspired Savinho and perhaps plenty of other players around the world during his time at Manchester City, a legacy that Ait-Nouri will be determined to replicate as well.
Much like the five-time Premier League winner, the 24-year-old has plenty of Premier League experience and has cemented his status as one of the division’s standout left-backs.
Now, Manchester City fans will be delighted to discover that Mahrez is over the moon for Ait-Nouri after he sealed a move to his former side.
The Algerian captain told DZ Foot: “I’m very happy for Rayan.”
“He signed for the best club in the world.”
“However, no, I haven’t had any contact with [Pep] Guardiola or anyone else about this transfer.”
With the FIFA Club World Cup later this month, Ait-Nouri could be set to make his debut for City against Wydad FC.