Rayan Ait-Nouri has not appeared in the Premier League for Manchester City this season, and the full-back has fallen so far down the pecking order under Enzo Maresca that he is often left out of matchday squads entirely.
A little over a year after signing for City, the 25-year-old is behind Josko Gvardiol and Nico O'Reilly on the left side, while talk of Maresca using him as a winger has seemingly been shelved, with plenty of options in that area limiting his chances.
Interest from Italy
The situation points to a likely exit for Ait-Nouri, who was the subject of a late bid from Manchester United in the summer. He is now reportedly attracting interest from a clutch of Serie A clubs, with Juventus and Napoli linked.
It is understood the defender wants to leave in search of first-team football, and he has also been frozen out of the Algeria set-up. Ait-Nouri has been a stalwart for his nation in recent years, but the 34-cap international is out of favour after reportedly refusing to come off the bench in a game against Zambia during the last international break.
Algeria omission
He is not in the squad for this month's fixtures with Togo, and while boss Brahim Hemdani said the City man is available for selection, Ait-Nouri has been left out.
“There are no issues or sanctions with Rayan. Discussions in the locker room remain private, but my choices depend solely on the balance and well-being of the team,” he said. “To approach two matches so close together, I need a completely cohesive group focused on the same objective. The door to the national team is open to everyone, but the general rules apply to all. We have Hadjam and also Bensebaini, who can play on the left.”
