Manchester City defender Rayan Ait-Nouri is planning to leave the club in January, with intermediaries already holding discussions with several interested sides, including Manchester United.
The Algeria international has struggled for regular football since joining Manchester City from Wolverhampton in 2025. He has yet to play in the Premier League under manager Enzo Maresca.
Maresca has made his view of Ait-Nouri known to Manchester City sporting director Hugo Viana, who is now working on a plan for the defender’s departure. The club wants to resolve the player’s future before the winter transfer window opens in January.
Manchester City are understood to be seeking to recover about £30m through a deal involving Ait-Nouri. The club would be willing to allow him to leave on loan, giving interested teams the chance to sign him without committing immediately to a permanent transfer fee.
However, any loan agreement would be expected to include an option to make the move permanent if Ait-Nouri reaches a specified number of appearances agreed by both clubs.
Maresca publicly clarified his position on the player earlier this month, saying Ait-Nouri was not his first-choice option and highlighting the competition he faces for a place in the team.
Manchester United are among the clubs being kept informed of developments. They were offered the chance to sign Ait-Nouri on the final day of the previous transfer window and had shown interest in the defender, but there was not enough time to complete the move before the deadline.
Communication between Manchester City and Manchester United has now resumed. Intermediaries are assessing whether an agreement can be reached for Ait-Nouri to move at the start of the new year.
The player is understood to be open to joining Manchester United. If the transfer goes ahead, he would become the first player to move directly from Manchester City to Manchester United since Owen Hargreaves in 2011.
Everton have also expressed an interest in Ait-Nouri. They would only be able to sign him if they complete a permanent deal for Jack Grealish, because Premier League regulations prevent a club from loaning two players from the same team.
Manchester City’s willingness to consider a loan reflects their desire to find a solution for a player who has been unable to establish himself under Maresca. The club’s preference, however, is for the temporary move to contain a route to a permanent transfer, subject to Ait-Nouri meeting the agreed appearance requirement.
