Wolves manager Vitor Pereira is looking to make a small tweak to one area of his squad.
It’s been a rollercoaster start to life at Molineux for Pereira, who inherited a relegation-threatened squad from Gary O’Neil.
After winning his first two games as Wolves manager, Pereira won the trust of supporters and now, the boss is targeting Premier League survival.
A sufficient January transfer window at Wolves helped the Portuguese to get his squad in order for the remainder of the season and now, the 56-year-old is aiming to make further change.
Vitor Pereira’s plan for Rayan Ait-Nouri could land Wolves millions
In the January transfer window, Wolves strengthened in defence and midfield, welcoming Emmanuel Agbadou, Marshall Munetsi and Nasser Djiga.
The transfers were desperately needed, giving the Old Gold additional fuel to push for Premier League survival.
As well as integrating the new players, Pereira is getting to work at squeezing the best out of those he inherited from O’Neil, revealing his plans for Rayan Ait-Nouri.
Speaking to the media, Pereira admitted he wants to improve Ait-Nouri defensively, praising the Algerian’s attacking spark whilst addressing that his defending needs attention.
“He’s an offensive player, very offensive. A left-back who is sometimes more of a winger than a left-back. We must improve him as a defender and he can give us a lot when we are attacking because he has the quality.”
Ait-Nouri’s attacking brilliance makes him one of the most attractive players to watch however, his defensive work sometimes makes fans want to look away.
Most recently, Ait-Nouri was slammed by Wolves fans for his lack of commitment when defending, something that Pereira hopes to improve.
By doing so, the Wolves manager could skyrocket the player’s market value, which could prove to be greatly significant in the summer transfer window.
Ait-Nouri has admirers already, with an improvement in the 23-year-old’s game having the potential to hand Wolves a platform to demand a higher price if the left-back is to leave in the near future.
Manchester United appreciate Ait-Nouri
Several clubs in the Premier League have eyed the Wolves left-back, with Ait-Nouri at the top of Ruben Amorim’s transfer watchlist at Manchester United.
The Portuguese is trying desperately to implement his style at Old Trafford but right now, is failing miserably due to not having the means to support his ideas.
| Statistic | Average | vs Premier League fullbacks |
| Successful take-ons | 1.66 | Top 4% |
| Assists | 0.23 | Top 7% |
| Goal-creating actions | 0.32 | Top 14% |
| Interceptions | 0.74 | Bottom 22% |
| Clearances | 2.21 | Bottom 25% |
| Aerials won | 0.60 | Bottom 25% |
Signing Ait-Nouri would improve United but, signing a defensively sturdy Ait-Nouri would of course be more attractive, which only benefits Wolves financially.
If a hike in Ait-Nouri’s performances were traceable before the end of the season, the Old Gold would be well within their right to demand an increased fee for the Algerian, who has the potential to grow into a complete player.
Of course, the perfect outcome would be for the 23-year-old to improve and remain at Wovles but, with clubs already monitoring his movement, the Old Gold must think smart.