One Wolves star could now be the subject of interest from Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim after his latest transfer plans were revealed.
The January transfer window is fast approaching and for many clubs, it’s a time to see what gaps need plugging to enjoy a successful second half of the season.
In the case of Wolves, they’re prioritising a new centre-back in January, with Gary O’Neil left short on options in defence.
Captain Max Kilman was sold to West Ham without a direct replacement while youngster Yerson Mosquera suffered a long-term injury in September.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 17 |  IpswichIpswich | 11 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 22 | -10 | 8 |
| 18 |  Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace | 11 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 15 | -7 | 7 |
| 19 |  WolvesWolves | 11 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 16 | 27 | -11 | 6 |
| 20 |  SouthamptonSouthampton | 11 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 21 | -14 | 4 |
Signing a new central defender could be imperative to the Old Gold’s chances of staying in the Premier League, as they’re currently two points adrift of safety, but it isn’t just incomings Wolves should be worried about.
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Ruben Amorim could now target Rayan Ait-Nouri as transfer plan emerges
Wolves wing-back Rayan Ait-Nouri is one player who could be the subject of transfer interest in January.
Chelsea and Liverpool were previously linked with Ait-Nouri after watching him flourish as an attacking force for O’Neil, scoring three and assisting twice this term from wing-back.
O’Neil is a big fan of the Ait-Nouri and he must keep him at Molineux till at least next summer.
However, the prospect of holding onto the 23-year-old looks increasingly difficult, as it’s been reported by Fabrizio Romano that new Man United boss Ruben Amorim is already planning on signing a new left-back for his system in 2025.
Amorim is looking to take his entertaining 3-4-3 system that brought success at Sporting Lisbon and implement it at Old Trafford, with two strong wing-backs needed on both flanks.
Romano has claimed that the Portuguese boss has more than three candidates on his list, and while Ait-Nouri hasn’t been named, he could be one of them.
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Ait-Nouri is one of Europe’s best wing-backs
It wouldn’t be a surprise to many if Ait-Nouri was one of the names shortlisted by Amorim, as his statistics across the past year prove he’s one of Europe’s best wing-backs.
| Rayan Ait-Nouri stats per 90 (past year) | Statistic | Percentile rank vs wing-backs in Europe |
| Non-penalty goals | 0.19 | Top 3% |
| Non-penalty xG | 0.12 | Top 6% |
| Shots total | 1.10 | Top 16% |
| Pass completion | 84.3% | Top 16% |
| Successful take-ons | 2.27 | Top 1% |
| Touches (Att Pen) | 2.08 | Top 20% |
The fleet-footed Algerian is exciting to watch as soon as he enters the final third and he’s starting to add end product to his game, which can take him to the next level.
That said, Liam Keen believes Ait-Nouri can improve by also taking fewer risks in possession, as he often tries to take on too many players before making a simple pass.
Cutting the above habit out of his game would arguably make him more appealing to a team like Man United, and that could spell bad news for Wolves.