Wolverhampton Wanderers head coach Vitor Pereira has confirmed he wants to keep wing-back Rayan Ait-Nouri for next season.
The 23-year-old had been expected to be sold in the summer as Wolves look to raise cash to strengthen other areas of Pereira’s squad.
But the head coach says he is keen to keep Algeria international Ait-Nouri, who has one year remaining on his Molineux contract plus a further year’s option in the club’s favour.
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“If you were in my position, would you want to keep him or not?” Pereira asked reporters at his pre-match press conference ahead of the meeting with Brighton.
“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.”
Ait-Nouri joined Wolves initially on loan from French side Angers before the move was made permanent in the summer of 2021.
The wing-back has made 38 appearances for Wolves in all competitions this season, scoring five goals and providing seven assists.
“Ait-Nouri is increasingly likely to stay”
Pereira has made his position clear on transfers and Ait-Nouri’s position is probably the clearest example of his the head coach, who arrived in December to replace Gary O’Neil, has prompted a subtle shift in transfer policy.
Pereira is keen if possible to avoid a major overhaul of his core, first-team squad and that means keeping the majority of his key players, with funds generated from the expected sale of Matheus Cunha — the Brazil striker is a £62million release clause in his contract — and offloading more fringe members of the squad like Goncalo Guedes and Tommy Doyle as well as those out on loan such as Fabio Silva.
That would mean fewer new additions but Pereira seems comfortable with that idea with the Portuguese coach prioritising a left-footed centre-back to compete with and deputise for Toti, as well as ball-carrying forwards to play behind his main No.9.
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Wolves had expected to sell Ait-Nouri along with Cunha to increase their own spending power but there has so far been a shortage of concrete interest.
That, combined with Pereira’s desire to keep him, makes it increasingly likely that he will stay.
It is possible that Wolves will offer him an improved contract to further protect his transfer value, but their one-year options means the club effectively control his future for the next two seasons, so this summer will not be their last chance to bring in a fee for the player they signed from Angers in 2020.
(Photo: HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images)
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