Man City agree €40m deal for Wolves star Rayan Ait-Nouri; medical this weekend

Manchester City have agreed a deal in principle with Wolverhampton Wanderers to sign Rayan Ait-Nouri.

The Algeria international is expected to undergo a medical this weekend, with the transfer fee understood to be around €40 million (£33.7 million).

City had previously tried to sign the 23-year-old in January, but talks failed to yield a breakthrough. With personal terms now agreed, the final steps of the deal are being put in place.

Ait-Nouri is currently away on international duty with Algeria and is expected to fly to England soon to complete the move.

He has one year left on his current Wolves contract, though the club retain an option to extend it by a further 12 months.

Ait-Nouri joined Wolves permanently in 2021 after an initial loan from Angers and has since made 157 appearances, scoring 12 goals and providing 19 assists.

He enjoyed a standout 2024-25 campaign under Vitor Pereira, starting 37 of 38 Premier League matches and finishing the season with five goals and seven assists in all competitions.

Known for his flair on the ball and sharp dribbling, Ait-Nouri has developed into one of the most progressive left-backs in the league.

He ranked eighth in the Premier League for successful dribbles last season and was the only defender to feature among the top 25 for ball recoveries in both the defensive and attacking thirds.

His versatility is believed to be a key reason behind City’s interest, with Pep Guardiola favouring full-backs who can step into midfield and contribute to build-up play.

Former Wolves assistant Edu Rubio described Ait-Nouri as a player with strong one-on-one defensive skills and the technical ability to adapt to Guardiola’s possession-based style.

Despite the timing of the deal, City are not expected to rush his arrival to meet the Club World Cup squad deadline. However, they hope he will feature in the United States later this summer.

When asked about the transfer while on international duty, Ait-Nouri said he was focused on Algeria’s upcoming friendlies and declined to comment on his future.

He did acknowledge Guardiola’s reputation, calling him “a great coach”, but reiterated his current priority is the national team.

If finalised, Ait-Nouri would become City’s latest addition in a summer that has already seen significant movement behind the scenes at the Etihad.