Juventus open talks to sign Manchester City outcast Rayan Ait-Nouri on loan

Juventus have opened discussions with the entourage of Manchester City left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri over a January loan deal, according to reports in Italy relayed by Sport Witness. The Serie A club are understood to want an option to buy included in any agreement, with Ait-Nouri himself eager to secure regular first-team football.

The 25-year-old has not featured in the Premier League this season under new City manager Enzo Maresca, making him one of only two senior outfield players yet to appear in the league. Maresca has publicly indicated he views Ait-Nouri more as a winger than a full-back, a profile that sits awkwardly within the former Chelsea manager’s system, which favours full-backs capable of inverting.

Ait-Nouri joined City from Wolverhampton Wanderers last summer for a reported £31 million and travelled with the squad to the Club World Cup, initially appearing set to claim the left-back berth vacated by Josko Gvardiol’s move into central defence. An ankle injury that sidelined him for nearly two months last autumn disrupted his momentum, and he never regained his place as Pep Guardiola’s first choice before the Spaniard’s departure.

A move to Turin may not guarantee him a starting role either. Andrea Cambiaso is expected to remain ahead of him in Juventus’s pecking order, meaning Ait-Nouri would need to impress quickly to justify the switch. Transfermarkt currently values the Algerian international at €40 million.

The speculation arrives at a turbulent moment for City, who were found guilty last week of 114 breaches of Premier League financial rules. The club are expected to appeal the verdict, but uncertainty over the club’s future has sharpened scrutiny on any player movement, with City keen that Ait-Nouri’s potential departure does not signal the beginning of a wider exodus.

On the pitch, Maresca’s side have otherwise made a strong start, collecting 15 points from their opening five Premier League games and progressing in both the Carabao Cup and the Champions League.