Man City Defender Opens Door to January Exit Amid Manchester United Interest

Man City Defender Opens Door to January Exit Amid Manchester United Interest Is there any hope for Rayan Ait-Nouri at Manchester City? More Videos Ait-Nouri has endured a challenging spell at the Etihad Stadium since arriving from Wolverhampton Wanderers in the summer of 2025, arriving at the club in a deal believed to be worth an initial £31.8 million. Despite putting in some promising opening performances under Pep Guardiola at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States and in the opening stages of the 2025/26 season, Ait-Nouri was largely displaced by the emergence of Nico O'Reilly at left-back. The Englishman would go on to put in a breakthrough campaign in the role, becoming a mainstay in Thomas Tuchel's England international set-up in the process, and winning the PFA's Young Player of the Season come the end of the 2025/26 schedule. With Enzo Maresca at the helm, some Manchester City supporters felt as though it may be the opportunity for a fresh start for Rayan Ait-Nouri, but the 25-year-old has continued to struggle for game time - with Josko Gvardiol and O'Reilly ahead of him in the left-back pecking order. That clear lack of opportunities has as such raised question marks over whether there is even a future for the North African star at the Etihad Stadium, particularly after he sought out a possible exit during the final days and weeks of the summer transfer window. Now, according to Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg , Rayan Aït-Nouri is 'one to watch' ahead of the upcoming winter transfer window, with the left-back said to be 'open' to leaving Manchester City . From within the Premier League, it is revealed that cross-town rivals Manchester United 'would like to sign him', in a potential transfer that would not see personal terms emerge as an issue. However, unsurprisingly, it is pointed out that the 'main issue' in any transfer for the Algerian defender would be the relationship between the two Manchester clubs. Interest in a potential exit from Manchester City has largely been sparked by a significant drop-off in involvement at the club this season for Rayan Ait-Nouri, often missing out on matchday squads entirely and making just four appearances. Registering outings in the Carabao Cup's third and fourth rounds as well as two UEFA Champions League matches, Ait-Nouri has however managed to record three assists for Enzo Maresca's side - operating in left-back and a left-winger role. However, the most concerning is that the Algerian has managed just one start coming in a 5-0 win over Norwich City in the League Cup, appearing as a substitute against Brighton & Hove Albion in the following round, as well as FC Porto and AEK Athens in the Champions League.