Liverpool, Arsenal 'to battle for Wolverhampton Wanderers' Rayan Ait-Nouri'

Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Rayan Ait-Nouri has reportedly emerged as a potential transfer target for Liverpool and Arsenal.

Since initially moving to Molineux on loan in 2020, Ait-Nouri has gone on to make 97 appearances in all competitions, contributing four goals and eight assists.

Despite spending time out of the team under previous boss Julen Lopetegui, the Algeria international has flourished in Gary O'Neil's wing-back system.

While the 22-year-old does not have a single goal or assist to his name during 2023-24, he has only enhanced his reputation with his performances.

Possessing a contract until 2026, Ait-Nouri could theoretically remain at Wolves in the long term, yet he has is arguably viewed as one of the club's most prized assets.

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At a time when FFP criteria must be met in the short and long term, that is potentially an important factor in the context of whether he may be allowed to leave in one of the upcoming transfer windows.

According to FootballTransfers, Liverpool and Arsenal are both considering whether to make an attempt to negotiate a deal with Wolves.

Neither Jurgen Klopp or Mikel Arteta are short of options at left-back, yet they could target an upgrade if the finances are right in any proposal.

Andrew Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas are the two established options at Liverpool, albeit both of them having spent time out of the team this season with dislocated shoulders and broken collarbones respectively.

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Arteta should have Jurrien Timber back to compete for the left-back spot next season after a serious knee injury, with Oleksandr Zinchenko, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jakub Kiwior being used there this campaign.

However, at least two of the latter three are not viewed as long-term options, resulting in Arteta to scour the market for a higher-quality alternative.

The report claims that Wolves intend to demand at least £50m for a player that cost £9.8m in July 2021, but any future sale is complicated by a sell-on clause.

Back at the time of that transfer, it was alleged that Angers stand to receive 50% of any future sale, meaning that Wolves would have to sell for just under £20m just to break-even on a sale.