Manchester City have reportedly been boosted in the race for Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Rayan Ait-Nouri following a boardroom arrival at the Etihad Stadium.
Focusing on the pitch, the two sides will clash for the honour of Premier League points on Sunday afternoon at the Black Country base of the Wanderers.
Ait-Nouri has made a stellar start to the 2024-25 league campaign for Gary O'Neil's side, scoring twice and providing two assists across seven top-tier matches.
Despite the best efforts of the left-back, Wolves are struggling massively at the foot of the Premier League standings, occupying 20th position after seven games.
Since making an initial loan switch from French outfit Angers in October 2020, Ait-Nouri has played on 124 occasions for Wolves, scoring nine times.
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Man City given boost in Ait-Nouri pursuit?
According to transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, two Premier League heavyweights are keen on securing the services of Wolves star Ait-Nouri next summer.
The report claims that both Manchester City and Manchester United are interested in the defender, who has featured 14 times for Algeria on the international stage.
It is understood that Ait-Nouri is valued at £60m, but it remains to be seen whether either one of the Manchester clubs would pay such an amount for the player.
The Citizens are set to be handed a boost in the race for the left-back, as per the Daily Mail, who claim that the influence of super agent Jorge Mendes is set to increase at the Etihad following the announcement of Hugo Viana's upcoming arrival as director of football.
Ait-Nouri is a client of Mendes, a relationship that could tip the balance in Man City's favour against their city rivals in the race for the Algerian.
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Man United need left-back options
Although Man City are set to take the lead in the race for Ait-Nouri, it is undoubtedly Man United who are in greater need of reinforcements at left-back.
First-choice option Luke Shaw has not featured for the Red Devils in a competitive fixture since the trip to Luton Town in the Premier League in February.
On top of the Englishman's absence, Tyrell Malacia is yet to play this term also after missing the entirety of the 2023-24 campaign due to a serious injury.
Naturally a centre-back, Croatia international Josko Gvardiol has been operating at left-back at the start of the season for Pep Guardiola's title chasers.
Carter White
