Rayan Ait-Nouri will be involved in Wolves’ first game of the new Premier League season, but he will not be wearing old gold.
At the start of the transfer window, Wolves sold Ait-Nouri to Manchester City, who would of course then be confirmed as Wanderers first opponents of 2025/26.
Fans slammed the Ait-Nouri sale to Manchester City, believing that at £36 million (via Sky Sports), it was too cheap.
Rayan Ait-Nouri was a player so many Wolves fans loved to watch play.
While he could be questionable defensively at times, Ait-Nouri was undoubtedly a brilliant technical player, and chipped in with a healthy amount of goals and assists from left wing-back.
Some really wish he had not been sold, but a claim has been made today to suggest it was an unavoidable outcome.
Rayan Ait-Nouri told Wolves he wouldn’t sign a new contract, prompting Man City move
There was always a fairly good chance that Ait-Nouri would leave Wolves in this window.
He had been at the club for five years, and there was rather a feeling of it just being his time to move on.
And now, some information has come out about how his exit from Wolves transpired.
In the end, the Algerian’s stance made the possibilities of him staying next to impossible.
The Telegraph claimed Ait-Nouri informed Wolves that he would not sign a new contract at Molineux. Wolves had shown some interest in handing Ait-Nouri a new deal, but the 24-year-old wasn’t interested.
Wolves were not prepared to let Ait-Nouri run down his existing deal, and so, a move to City was facilitated.
Potentially, that is why he ended up going for the fee he did.
Ait-Nouri contract stance at Wolves was understandable
Ait-Nouri being unwilling to sign a contract extension at Molineux is understandable.
He gave five good years of service to Wolves, and he probably felt this was the right time to embark on a new adventure.
Signing a new deal with Wolves would have locked him in. He knew City were interested, and wasn’t going to jeopardise a move in this window.
| Rayan Ait-Nouri for Wolves (2020-present) |
| Appearances – 157 |
| Goals – 12 |
| Assists – 19 |
He essentially forced Wolves’ hand, but one cannot really blame him for the stance he took.
Ultimately, he could not pass up the opportunity to play for City, a side who regularly challenge for trophies and are headed by one of the greatest managers ever.
Joao Gomes reckons Ait-Nouri will become the best left-back in the world, and there’s a strong chance he could achieved that status with the transfer he has made.