Premier League: City falls and Aït Nouri remains in a deadlock!

Oct 24, 2026

Rayan Aït-Nouri finds himself in a deadlock at Manchester City. Still excluded from the Premier League squad, the Algerian international is seriously considering a departure during the winter transfer window.

Another Premier League matchday, and the same situation for Rayan Aït-Nouri. For Manchester City's match against Aston Villa this Saturday, on the 8th matchday, the Algerian international once again started on the bench under Enzo Maresca. He remained there until the end of the match, witnessing the Citizens' first defeat in the league this season, losing 2-1 at Villa Park.

The situation is becoming particularly alarming for the left-back. After eight matchdays, Aït-Nouri has yet to step onto the pitch in the Premier League this season. He has not made a single appearance in the league, despite several bench spots. His rare opportunities to play have only come in other competitions.

This is a difficult situation to understand given his effectiveness when he has been used. In September, he provided an assist in the Champions League against Porto, followed by two more against Norwich in the EFL Cup. Despite this productivity, Maresca continues to prefer other options on the left flank.

In this context, the possibility of a departure as early as the winter transfer window is increasing. In Italy, Juventus has already re-established contact with his entourage for January, while AC Milan is also closely monitoring his situation. A transfer is still far from being officially confirmed, but if his playing time does not change quickly, his future at Manchester could become one of the hot topics of the winter.

DZfoot