Football writer Alex Keble says that although Rayan Ait-Nouri may not be a typical Pep Guardiola full-back, the Manchester City manager has never been afraid of reinvention.
There are some Premier League signings that just make sense, and there are others that catch you off guard. It’s fair to say that Rayan Ait-Nouri’s move to Manchester City falls into the latter camp.
Nobody doubts Ait-Nouri’s quality, but the 24-year-old Algeria international is an ultra-attacking left-back, which makes his arrival at the Etihad yet another turning point in the long and winding evolution of the Pep Guardiola full-back.
Ever since he stunned a primitive Premier League by deploying double inverted full-backs in his debut game as Man City manager in 2015/16, Guardiola has reinvented the wheel over and over again.
Benjamin Mendy and Kyle Walker overlapping; Fabian Delph or Oleksandr Zinchenko inverting into the middle; Joao Cancelo acting almost as a No 10; Walker joining a back three; centre-backs playing at full-back; and finally central midfielders in both roles.
In fact, when you consider that his conception of the centre-back, central midfielder and winger has remained consistent, you could even say Guardiola’s use of full-backs is the focal point of his tactical evolutions; the centre around which all else revolves.
And if that’s the case, signing Ait-Nouri tells us to expect another left turn for Man City under Guardiola.
Bringing attacking dynamism sorely lacking
Ait-Nouri boasts very strong attacking numbers, despite playing for a reactive Wolves side that only averaged 47.9 per cent possession.
His 11 goal contributions (four goals and seven assists) was the most among Premier League defenders in 2024/25, while only Antonee Robinson assisted more goals.
Again among defenders, he also managed the second-highest Expected Assists (5.5), the fourth-most chances created (46), the fifth-most take-ons (137) and the third-most touches in the opposition penalty area (96).
Ait-Nouri's PL rank among defenders
| 24/25 | PL rank | |
| Goal contributions | 11 | 1st |
|---|---|---|
| Expected Assists | 5.5 | 2nd |
| Chances created | 46 | 4th |
| Take-ons attempted | 137 | 5th |
| Touches in opp. box | 96 | 3rd |
These compare favourably to the player Guardiola used most often at left-back, Josko Gvardiol, and indeed there is no doubt that Ait-Nouri is far more ambitious, forward-thinking and effective in the final third than any current Man City left-back.
Defensive side might need some refining despite positional dexterity
Questions can be asked about Ait-Nouri’s 1v1 defending, however, while he has been prone to errors as Wolverhampton Wanderers' left-back and - due to his highly-attacking nature - is often caught ahead of the play.
He was dispossessed for a Brentford goal on the final day, for example, while in a 6-2 defeat to Chelsea back in August, then-Wolves manager Gary O’Neil complained that his team "had no left-back" after Noni Madueke used the freedom of that flank to score a hat-trick.
Ait-Nouri’s defensive numbers back this up, and suggest he is not as effective as Gvardiol, ranking lower than the Croatia international in a number of metrics – aside from tackling, often the last resort of the defender and a sign they are scrambling to recover.
Defensive contribution and PL rank
| Ait-Nouri | Gvardiol | |
| Tackles attempted | 89 (12th) | 58 (53rd) |
|---|---|---|
| Tackles completed | 57 (10th) | 39 (42nd) |
| Interceptions | 26 (68th) | 44 (15th) |
| Blocked shots | 6 (156th) | 44 (15th) |
But Ait-Nouri’s defensive role will be markedly different at Man City compared with the one he had at Wolves.
He has a very strong positional sense, able to invert and fill in for team-mates, and in that respect possesses a geometric intelligence that fits with Guardiola's football.
What’s more, he won possession in the final third more than any other defender last season. Pep will be more interested in that kind of stat than tackles or interceptions.
What it means for Guardiola’s tactical rebuild
Still, there’s no getting away from the fact Ait-Nouri is a very attacking full-back – and that’s a huge departure for Guardiola.
Towards the end of the season, City found form with a box-midfield that saw Guardiola pack six central midfielders by trade into his starting line-up, including in both full-back positions.
It was always likely to be a short-term solution. Signing an all-out attacking full-back indicates a significant shift.
It’s difficult to see how Ait-Nouri and Jeremy Doku can function in the same team, and indeed such a progressive left-back perhaps indicates Guardiola wants to reintroduce Phil Foden on the left wing.
Perhaps the idea is that Foden, cutting in from the left and complemented by an overlapping Ait-Nouri creating space, can support Omar Marmoush in central attacking midfield, making up for the loss of Kevin De Bruyne.
But guessing what Guardiola will do next is a fool’s errand.
Suffice to say, signing a full-back on big money – and an ultra-attacking one at that, after years of playing midfielders or centre-backs in the role – tells us that Pep has fresh ideas for 2025/26.
