Enzo Maresca has given Rayan Aït-Nouri a straightforward explanation for his situation at Manchester City: left-back is a crowded position and selection is not guaranteed. That matters because Manchester United are still circling after failing with a shock move on deadline day in September, and the January window gives them another chance to test the gap between interest and availability.

Maresca's view on the left-back race

The City manager told mirror.co.uk: "He's a clear full-back. In that position, we have Josko [Gvardiol], who is doing fantastic, we have Nico [O'Reilly], who when he is fit is doing fantastic. and he's the same position so it's just competition between them."

Foot Mercato carried a similar line in translation from French: "At this position, we have Josko (Gvardiol), who is fantastic. We have Nico (O’Reilly) who, when he is fit, is fantastic. It is the same position, so it is only competition between them."

That lines up with the blunt numbers on Aït-Nouri's start at City. He has made only four appearances this season, none in the Premier League, and has played just 295 minutes in total. The one league competition where City might normally lean on him has not opened up at all.

The January opening for United

United's interest is easier to understand when you set it against their own league position and form. They are 17th and have gone five league games without a win, so a left-back fix looks urgent rather than optional.

The move itself would still be awkward. Foot Mercato said the last direct transfer between United and City was Terry Cooke in 1999 for €1.5 million, while Mirror linked Owen Hargreaves' 2011 move from United to City after his contract expired. Either way, a switch across the city is rare enough that the rivalry remains part of the story.

Aït-Nouri's City signing fee is also reported two ways, with Mirror putting it at £31million and Foot Mercato citing €37 million in summer 2025. The exact figure is not the issue here. What stands out is that City bought a player who has barely reached the pitch, while Gvardiol has already logged 657 Premier League minutes and nine league appearances in the same role.

City are still second in the league, so there is no obvious reason for them to panic. United, though, have a live opening if the situation stays as it is, and the Champions League trip to RB Leipzig is next on City's schedule with Aït-Nouri in the travelling squad.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →