Rebuffed in the summer, the Old Lady have not given up. The Algerian left-back, badly short of playing time at Manchester City, remains on Juventus’s radar for the winter window.
Juventus are not letting this one go. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, whose report has since been picked up by several Italian outlets including Bianconera News, the Turin club have contacted Rayan Aït-Nouri’s entourage. The aim is to find out whether a January move is possible.
The interest is nothing new. Juventus, along with AC Milan, were already tracking the player during his Wolverhampton days. Talks took place again this summer, but the Algeria international chose to stay in Manchester and fight for his place, just a year after his move to the Etihad for around €36.8 million.
105 minutes so far this season
That gamble has not paid off. Under Enzo Maresca, Aït-Nouri has made just two appearances this season, for a total of 105 minutes on the pitch. It is meagre game time, even if the Algerian has still managed three assists, including one away to Porto in the opening round of the Champions League.
That frustration is exactly what Juventus are hoping to tap into. The Bianconeri want to offer him an immediate fresh start in Serie A. It has also been a turbulent spell for the 25-year-old, who was sent home from Algeria’s latest camp after reacting to being left on the bench against Zambia.
City hold the cards
There is one major obstacle: Manchester City are in no rush to sell. Aït-Nouri is under contract until June 2030 and his value is estimated at around €40 million, leaving City firmly in control.
His lack of minutes could, however, make them more open to talks. La Gazzetta mentions the possibility of a loan with an option to buy, a structure that would allow Juventus to limit their immediate outlay.
At this stage, no official bid has been made. A January exit remains hypothetical, but if nothing changes at the Etihad in the meantime, Turin will be ready.