Manchester United fail in shock loan move for City's Rayan Ait-Nouri

Manchester United launched a late push to strengthen their left-back position with Rayan Ait-Nouri, making an approach to Manchester City in the final hours of the transfer window. The proposal was a straight loan, but City would only accept a temporary move with an obligation to buy. The dramatic bid was rejected, leaving Michael Carrick without the defensive reinforcement United had been chasing.

• United asked City about a loan deal for Ait-Nouri with less than 12 hours left in the window.
• City made clear they would only sanction a loan with an obligation to buy, which United turned down.
• United also failed in a move for Leicester City's 18-year-old midfielder Louis Page.
• Harry Amass will stay at Old Trafford after the club could not bring in an experienced left-back.
• Ait-Nouri is yet to play for City this season and sits behind Gvardiol and O'Reilly in Maresca's pecking order.

United's deadline day approach for Ait-Nouri collapses

With the clock running down, United decided to test the waters with their arch-rivals over Ait-Nouri. They had already ruled out moves for Barcelona's Alejandro Balde and Racing Santander's Jorge Salinas, and saw the Algeria defender as a possible solution for the left side of Carrick's backline. The answer from City, however, closed the door.

United sources made it clear they never considered a permanent transfer. City, for their part, stated the only acceptable outcome was a loan with an obligation to buy, a structure United rejected. City sources confirmed Ait-Nouri would remain in Enzo Maresca's squad. The whole exchange was brief, direct and ultimately fruitless.

Ait-Nouri's limited role under Enzo Maresca

Ait-Nouri joined City from Wolves in June 2025 for £31m, but his first campaign fell short of expectations. He made 31 appearances in all competitions, yet only 12 of those were Premier League starts. The 25-year-old struggled to convince as a regular option.

That pattern has continued this season. Ait-Nouri has been on the bench for all three of City's matches without playing a single minute. Maresca currently has him as the third left-back in the squad, behind Josko Gvardiol and Nico O'Reilly. A loan move might have offered him more minutes, but City held their ground.

A rare transfer between Manchester rivals

Had United and City reached an agreement, Ait-Nouri would have become the first player to move directly between the clubs for a transfer fee since Terry Cooke left United for City for £1m in January 1999. That history underlined just how unlikely the late approach was from the start.

More recently, Owen Hargreaves and, most famously, Carlos Tevez moved to City after their United contracts expired. Tevez's arrival was marked by the notorious 'Welcome to Manchester' poster that intensified the rivalry. Ait-Nouri will not be adding his name to that unusual list.

Harry Amass stays put after failed search

The failure to sign an experienced left-back has a direct knock-on effect, with 19-year-old Harry Amass no longer set to leave. Amass spent much of pre-season as Luke Shaw's understudy and attracted several loan offers, but he has not featured in any Premier League squad so far.

Despite staying at United, Amass is likely to remain Carrick's third option at left-back. Noussair Mazraoui replaced Shaw during the 5-2 win over Ipswich, underlining where the teenager sits in the current pecking order. His continued presence is about squad depth rather than a change in status.

The failed move for Leicester's Louis Page

United also fell short in their pursuit of Louis Page, the highly rated Leicester City midfielder. Interest in the 18-year-old first emerged in August, but the deal ran into trouble when Page was named in Leicester's starting line-up for their League One match against Plymouth.

It was then confirmed that the transfer would not be completed. Leicester reportedly wanted well in excess of £10m for the teenager, who only made his first-team debut in August 2025 but has already built an impressive reputation across 25 appearances.

United's midfield spending and the Page plan

United had considered signing Page and loaning him straight back to Leicester to continue his development. It was a sensible plan given the club has already spent more than £150m on international midfielders this summer.

Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos have already made their debuts, while Carlos Baleba, a £70m arrival from Brighton, will miss the next couple of weeks with a minor ankle issue. With Page staying at Leicester and Ait-Nouri staying at City, United ended the window without completing either of their late targets.

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