Ait-Nouri joins Man City as club splurge ahead of Club World Cup
Man City’s rebuild is set to cost another £65m with Pep Guardiola’s side completing one of two hopeful new signings ahead of the Club World Cup.
The Manchester club last week confirmed the signing of Dutch midfielder Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan for £46.3m but on Monday landed Algeria international Rayan Ait-Nouri (£31m) from Wolves.
They’re looking to add French attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki (£34m) from Lyon to Monday’s deal for an expenditure of £65m.
Combined with Reijnders, City would have forked out £111.3m in just a couple of weeks as they look to rebuild from a poor season by their standards.
Having won four Premier League titles in a row, as well as the Champions League, City fell to third in the English top flight in the 2024-25 season.
Club stalwart Kevin De Bruyne is leaving the club and they were without Ballon d’Or winner Rodri for much of the season.
Man City in Club World Cup
But there has been little time to rest for Guardiola with City one of two English teams – alongside Chelsea – heading to this month’s Club World Cup in the United States.
Manchester City won the last edition of the tournament in 2023 but it has since been expanded from seven teams to 32.
Man City begin their defence against Moroccan side Wydad AC at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia before taking on United Arab Emirates stalwarts Al Ain at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
The biggest clash of their group phase, though, will see them face Italian giants Juventus at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando.
If they progress through to the round of 16 they’ll face one of Real Madrid, Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, Mexico’s Pachuca or Austria’s Red Bull Salzburg.
The club strengthened in the winter window, netting centre-forward Omar Marmoush for €75m, central midfielder Nico Gonzalez for €60m, centre-back Abdukodir Khusanov for €40m, centre-back Vitor Reis for €37m and centre-back Juma Bah for €6m.