Wolves are desperate to keep their star defender, who has been linked with Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool.
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Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Rayan Ait-Nouri has signed with new representatives ahead of the summer transfer window with the 23-year-old linked with a move to several Premier League rivals.
The Algeria international has been one of the bright sparks for Wolves this season as the Midlands club fought off relegation. Ait-Nouri has missed just one league fixture this season and picked up four goals and seven assists from defence.
Ait-Nouri has now racked up 133 Premier League appearances since making the move to Molineux in October 2020. That was initially a loan deal before the player put pen to paper on a £10 million deal the following year.
Wolves determined to keep Rayan Ait-Nouri
The Telegraph had claimed that Wolves were preparing a new contract offer for their key player this summer with the defender’s current deal set to expire in 2026. The club does hold the option of triggering another 12 months after that expiry.
Wolves boss Vitor Pereira has been outspoken in his desire to keep Ait-Nouri as transfer rumours swirl. Speaking last week, the head coach said: ““If you were in my position, would you want to keep him or not?
“Me too. He’s a top player and we want to keep our best players. The target is to keep our best players and to bring in not too many players because then we would have to start again.
“I don’t want to start again from the beginning but some positions we need to be stronger next season. He (Ait-Nouri) is a top player. He can give us a lot and he can give us even more than he has this season because I believe that next season he can create different solutions, and I will do it with him.”
Spurs and Liverpool transfer target finds new agents
The Athletic has claimed that the club’s renewed ambitions under Pereira makes it ‘increasingly unlikely’ that the player will leave this summer, but a fresh report form transfer guru Fabrizio Romano suggests Ait-Nouri’s vision may not be aligned. Taking to social media platform X on Monday morning, Romano wrote: “Wolves LB Rayan Ait Nouri has signed with CAA Stellar as new representatives. Algerian LB, one to watch in the summer as he can leave with several clubs keen on signing him after 5 goals, 7 assists this season.”
The Liverpool Echo claim that Arne Slot’s side are looking at a move for the defender while BirminghamWorld reported that Tottenham Hotspur had in fact already submitted a bid for the player earlier this year with West Ham also interested. TBR Football reporter Graeme Bailey also carried fresh reports of Spurs interest earlier this month, with Manchester City also namechecked as potential suitors.
Ait-Nouri was praised by former Wolves boss Gary O’Neil earlier this season, with the manager’s comments making it clear why he would be such an asset for any Premier League rival. O’Neil said: “He can play anywhere on the pitch with the quality that he has and we’re working with him at the moment on his decision-making because he’s unbelievably brave.
“He takes the ball in some tight areas and he tries his best to look after it. Sometimes he slows the game down a bit which we’ve spoken to him about, trying to make the right call when we’re out and when we need to go to the goal fast and when we’re not and then you can take your time and we can rebuild.
“We’re helping him with those moments and he’s still a young lad. I know he’s played a lot of games for Wolves and he’s extremely talented, but there’s still a lot of learning that he needs to do in his understanding of the game.”
In other news, West Brom launch 'ambitious' enquiry to sign Tottenham Hotspur striker.