Wolves brace for major exit with City closing in on top target | OneFootball

Manchester City Close in on Ait-Nouri as Guardiola Seeks Left-Back Solution

City Identify Long-Term Solution at Left-Back

Manchester City’s pursuit of a natural left-back appears to be drawing to a close with Wolves’ Rayan Ait-Nouri now firmly in their sights. As reported by The Telegraph, Pep Guardiola is poised to address what has become a long-standing gap in his squad with a bid for the 23-year-old Algeria international, valued at around £50 million.

Although a final transfer fee is yet to be agreed, there is growing optimism from both Manchester City and Wolves that a deal will be concluded in time for the Club World Cup, which begins on June 15. Notably, the Premier League’s early transfer window (June 1–10) has been tailored to accommodate such scenarios.

Photo: IMAGO

“Ait-Nouri is keen on the move which should be agreed in time for the Club World Cup which starts on June 15,” The Telegraph confirms. The player’s willingness to join Guardiola’s side could accelerate talks, especially with Wolves already preparing for his departure.

Wolves Begin Contingency Planning

Wolverhampton Wanderers have reportedly started scouting replacements in anticipation of Ait-Nouri’s exit. The club had previously been planning a contract extension for the left-back, who has two years left on his current deal after impressing over four seasons in the Premier League since arriving from Angers.

Wolves are expected to activate a £9 million buyout clause on Angers’ 50 per cent sell-on agreement. This step would allow them to retain more control over the final transfer fee and reflects the club’s strategy to maximise value before sanctioning any sale.

“Wolves are likely to trigger that option as a formality before any transfer is completed,” The Telegraph noted, pointing to a club already resigned to losing one of their standout performers.

Guardiola Prioritising Premier League Experience

It is no secret that Guardiola has struggled to find a reliable left-back since the departure of Joao Cancelo. While Josko Gvardiol has filled in, his long-term future is expected to be at centre-half, with Nico O’Reilly also trialled in the role despite it not being his natural position.

Photo IMAGO

Interestingly, Ait-Nouri is viewed as a stylistic match to Cancelo, particularly in his ability to contribute going forward. His Premier League experience also makes him a more seamless fit in a summer where Guardiola is targeting players already acclimatised to English football.

In January, City invested in four players with no previous Premier League experience. Only Omar Marmoush has established himself. That pattern has prompted a reassessment.

Broader Implications for City and Wolves

City’s reshuffle does not end at left-back. The club are also pursuing Lyon’s Rayan Cherki for £35 million and have tabled a £50 million bid for AC Milan’s Tijjani Reijnders, according to The Telegraph. While Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White was previously a target, talks have since cooled.

Photo: IMAGO

Meanwhile, Wolves are already reeling from the sale of Matheus Cunha to Manchester United after his £62.5 million release clause was triggered. Losing Ait-Nouri would mark another significant departure and further reshape their squad heading into what is clearly a transitional summer.

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Losing Matheus Cunha was tough enough, but seeing Rayan Ait-Nouri, one of the most technically gifted full-backs to wear the Wolves shirt in recent years, on the brink of joining Manchester City is a gut punch for Wolves fans. It signals a summer not of fine-tuning, but of enforced overhaul.

There’s a sense of déjà vu, as Wolves once again enter a window balancing precariously between ambition and necessity. Triggering the Angers buyout clause makes commercial sense, but it also confirms that the club see this as a done deal.

Wolves fans know the rhythm by now: develop, sell, rebuild. But with Cunha gone and Ait-Nouri next, there’s anxiety over whether suitable replacements will be found — or whether next season will see the club merely trying to survive.

“Expectation” at Molineux must now be recalibrated. There is hope that the funds from these sales are reinvested wisely, but recent history urges caution. If Wolves fail to adequately replace both Cunha and Ait-Nouri, they risk turning a transitional summer into a regressive one.

The club must act decisively, because supporters are already asking the right question: who’s next?