Man City and Man U could both benefit from quick and easy January left back deal

Man U have been linked with interest in Man city left back Rayan Ait-Nouri as they look for solutions to their left back issue.

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Man U have some bigger problems than their left back slot at the moment.

Their manager is on the verge of being sacked, there’s open revolt in the dressing room, and fans are taking aim at the owners and sporting directors in every game.

Yet some of the issues are on the pitch, there’s no denying. After a strange approach to transfers where they focused on the attack and then the midfield in consecutive summer, the Red Devils have left their defence without serious reinforcement for a while now.

They went into this season without enough options – and it’s already causing issues. Luke Shaw is their only primary left back, and they need other options.

Manchester sides could agree on easy business

Today it’s been suggested by TeamTalk that they could turn to a player across the city. Rayan Ait-Nouri has never been able to consistently break into the Manchester City side since joining from Wolves in the summer of 2025, and that doesn’t look like changing.

Enzo Maresca prefers Josko Gvardiol or Nico O’Reilly, and Ait-Nouri’s prospects of playing are slim. The article claims that sporting director Hugo Viana is working on an exit for the Algeria international.

This could work out well for both teams. City want rid of a player whose value is only falling, and would be willing sellers in January. United need immediate reinforcement in that position.

The more important question is if Ait-Nouri is really the profile of player this United team are missing.