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Rayan Ait-Nouri joined Manchester City in a £36.3 million deal from Wolves in June this year, marking the club's first major investment in a specialist left-back since Benjamin Mendy's departure in 2023. Ait-Nouri featured in City's opening 4-0 rout of his former club and reportedly earned plaudits for his dribbling and crossing ability. However, Ait-Nouri's momentum was halted by an ankle sprain sustained during City's 2-0 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on August 23, 2025. His injury has reportedly cast doubts over his participation in the upcoming Manchester derby, clash against Manchester United on Sunday, September 14, 2025.
In his pre-match press conference on Friday, September 12, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reportedly provided a significant update on left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri's fitness. “Rayan Aït-Nouri is out,” Guardiola reportedly stated, addressing the media's concerns about the player's recovery. “He's still not fully recovered from his injury and remains sidelined for Sunday's derby against Manchester United after not joining Algeria for international duty.” The Catalan tactician's words provided clarity amid swirling speculation, but they also highlighted the fragility of City's squad depth at a crucial juncture in the Premier League season.
Rayan Ait-Nouri was injured in 22nd minute of the clash against Tottenham Hotspur
The incident occurred just 22 minutes into the match, when he collided with Spurs winger Mohammed Kudus, forcing him to hobble off and be replaced by Nathan Aké. Initial assessments suggested a medial and lateral ligament issue, but Guardiola reportedly remained optimistic in the immediate aftermath. “It looks like his ankle, but I didn't speak with the doctors yet,” the manager said post-game. “We have seven days. Hopefully, it can be recovered.” A week later, ahead of the trip to Brighton, Guardiola confirmed Ait-Nouri's availability, with the player starting and playing the full 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw.
Last season at Wolves, as full-back Rayan Ait-Nouri registered seven assists, the most among defenders in the league, while winning possession in the final third more than any other Premier League player in that position. His seamless transition to City was further evidenced by Guardiola's tactical instructions, which emphasized freedom in attack. As Ait-Nouri reportedly revealed shortly after his transfer, “He has told me to play my game without pressure. You know, drive with the ball, cross also in the box. I try to respect the advice he gives me.” This liberty has allowed the 24-year-old to thrive, adding a dynamic edge to City's left side that has been missing since the departures of players like Oleksandr Zinchenko and the repositioning of Joško Gvardiol to center-back.
