Wolverhampton Wanderers are interested in the £31.5 million-rated left-back Rayan Ait Nouri although, as Angers’ sporting director points out to Ouest France, a deal may be easier said than done in today’s market.
While the doom and gloomers have suggested that French football’s financial crisis could force clubs like Angers to sell their brightest talents, that might not necessarily be the case.
After all, who in these uncertain times are going to pay over £30 million for a teenager who has just one season of first-team football under his belt?
TMW claims that Wolves have joined Manchester City in the race for Ait Nouri’s signature, with the jet-heeled France U21 international exactly the kind of rough diamond who tends to go from strength to strength under Nuno at Molineux.
But, after Ait Nouri signed a new three-year deal last week to ensure his price-tag remains as high as can be, Sebastien Larcier is not expecting anyone to pay the £31.5 million fee required to take the youngster away from Angers.
“It is the first time that the football world has experienced a situation like this,” Larcier says.
“It is difficult to predict the reactions of the big clubs, those who were likely to pay large sums for transfers. Before the Covid-19, I would have said that it was difficult to keep (Ait Nouri).
“With the new deal, I think the cards have been shuffled.”
Interestingly, TMW suggests that Wolves have identified Ait Nouri as a replacement for Portugal international Ruben Vinagre, who is apparently set to depart the Black Country outfit in the upcoming transfer window.
This is the first we have heard of the 21-year-old’s potential departure. But, with just five Premier League starts under his belt this season, Vinagre might be considering his future after all.
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