Rayan Ait-Nouri’s miserable 2023 continues, with the youngster missing out on a call-up to the latest Algeria squad.
The 21-year-old has barely featured for Wolves since Julen Lopetegui arrived at the club.
He made a string of useful substitute appearances when the Spaniard first came.
But in 2023 he has seen very few minutes.
In March, Ait-Nouri was sent on as a substitute against Newcastle United. The game was delicately balanced at 1-1, but Newcastle scored late on, with the goal coming when Ait-Nouri was very high up the pitch.
Seemingly, that cameo from Ait-Nouri stuck with Lopetegui, who then left him out of the next seven squads.
He was back on the bench for the game against Aston Villa, but did not play. For the next two games he was again left out completely.
Lopetegui finally gave him his first minutes since against Newcastle, against Arsenal on Sunday.
And his lack of football in recent months really showed.
It has been a tricky period for Ait-Nouri, and his lack of opportunities at Wolves have now cost him a place in the Algeria squad, which was announced last night.
They have an AFCON qualifier next month against Uganda.
But manager Djamel Belmadi has decided the Wolves man will not be involved.
There will be no chance for £10 million star Ait-Nouri to add to his one cap for Les Verts, whom he switched his allegiance to in January.
A tough year so far for Rayan Ait-Nouri – he might seek an exit from Wolves this summer
So Ait-Nouri has now missed out on the Algeria squad and really, he can’t have any complaints.
He obviously hasn’t been playing for Wolves, so it makes it difficult for Belmadi to justify picking him.
Lopetegui just hasn’t seemed to fancy him. Who knows if something has happened behind the scenes. But it was suggested earlier this year that both Ait-Nouri and Raul Jimenez are both fairly laidback individuals, which may have been counting against them with the manager.
Ait-Nouri will surely be gutted not to be called up.
And it might just make him think about his future.
Lopetegui has much preferred Hugo Bueno and Toti Gomes at left-back, so it’s very possible he could seek to leave Molineux this summer.