Rayan Aït-Nouri on his £31 million move to from Wolves to Manchester City
09/06/2025
CGA, Manchester, UK
Courtesy of Manchester City no restrictions on use
09/06/2025
CGA, Manchester, UK
Courtesy of Manchester City no restrictions on use
Category
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SportsTranscript
00:00Ryan, many congratulations on joining Manchester City and welcome to the club.
00:05How did it feel to have joined City?
00:07To be honest, I'm very, very happy, very proud.
00:13It was one of my goals to play in one club like Manchester City.
00:21Yeah, I'm very proud and I can't wait to play with this shirt.
00:30My family, they are very happy also.
00:32And yeah, for sure, it's a very good day today, yeah.
00:38Once you knew of Manchester City's interest, was it an easy decision for you to make?
00:43Yeah, for sure, it was an easy decision.
00:47We know the team they showed last few years.
00:53It was the best team in the world.
00:55And yeah, the players, they are amazing.
00:59The coach also.
01:01It's a pleasure to train every time.
01:07It will be a pleasure to train with Pep Guardiola.
01:11And yeah, I can't wait.
01:14I've come here to learn, to show also what I can do.
01:20And yeah, I will give my best.
01:25How would you describe yourself as a footballer?
01:28I'm, like, first I'm technically a player.
01:33But I like to learn also for my teammates, for the team.
01:39I try every single day in the training, in the game, to give everything.
01:46Because, yeah, it's very important for me to work for the team.
01:52And yeah, after with the ball, I like to play.
01:57I like to attack, to cross, to shoot.
02:02Also, defensively, I like to defend.
02:06Yeah, if I can describe my football, I will say a technical player.
02:12Yeah.
02:13And obviously you've had a lot of experience of the Premier League with Wolves.
02:17Do you think that will help you to settle quickly at Manchester City?
02:21Yeah, for sure, for sure.
02:23Because, yeah, it's the same league, the same country.
02:27It's not far.
02:29The weather is the same.
02:31Yeah, the football is the same for sure.
02:34But, yeah, for sure, it will be more easy for me because I've been here for a long time in England.
02:46I know the league also.
02:48But, yeah, for sure, it will be a new challenge with the amazing players, with the amazing coach also.
02:58And, yeah, I can't wait to train with the team.
03:03There's also the opportunity of playing in Champions League football as well.
03:07How excited are you about that prospect?
03:09Yeah, I'm very excited.
03:11Very excited.
03:12There will be a new challenge for me because before I never played in Champions League.
03:18Yeah, I watch a lot of Champions League games.
03:24They will be changed for me because the game is in the week, you know?
03:31Yeah, but for sure, he will be a great experience.
03:37And, yeah, I can't wait to play in Champions League with this shirt, yes.
03:43You mentioned a little bit about Pep Guardiola.
03:45How excited are you to be working alongside him as our manager?
03:49Yeah, very, very excited to work with him.
03:56For me, he's the best coach in the world.
04:01What he makes in football with this team is incredible.
04:08He likes to play football.
04:11This also is very good and I like this.
04:14And, yeah, for sure, I'm very excited.
04:16I want to learn with him.
04:19I want to work with him, with my teammates also.
04:23Yeah, what I said, the most important is I give everything for this shirt.
04:29We've also got a world-class squad here as well.
04:33How much are you looking forward to joining up with them?
04:36Yeah, it will be crazy because we know how the squad is the top level.
04:47Every player.
04:48I played before against City.
04:51When I played against them, it's very hard because we know the quality for the players.
04:58They're incredible.
05:00And, yeah, for sure.
05:02So, I want to learn with them in the training and in the game, for sure.
05:09One of those players is Matthias Nunes.
05:12He made a similar journey from Wolves to City.
05:15Have you spoken to him, cohort with him at all?
05:17Yeah, I spoke with him.
05:19We were always together when he was in Wolves.
05:25Yeah, I spoke with him.
05:28He told me a little bit about the City.
05:33We didn't speak about the football.
05:35We spoke about the City, the life in Manchester.
05:38And, yeah, I'm very excited to join Matthias again.
05:44You've also joined us in time to play at the FIFA Club World Cup.
05:49How exciting is that for you?
05:51Yeah, for sure.
05:54I can't wait.
05:56I'm very excited to play this competition.
06:01It's a new challenge for me, also.
06:04They will be different.
06:07The condition, also, is different.
06:11But, yeah, I'm very happy.
06:14And hopefully we'll make good things in FIFA World Cup.
06:21I know that you're very proud of playing for Algeria as well.
06:25How has that helped you with your career so far playing international football?
06:29Yeah, they helped me a lot because it's different things, you know?
06:41But, yeah, they gave me a lot of things because, you know, the football is a bit different, you know?
06:58But, yeah, I'm very proud to play with Algeria, also.
07:03They push me every time.
07:05I receive a lot of messages, also, in the social media to Algerian fans, you know?
07:12And, yeah, he's proud for me to play with this shirt, you know?
07:20And you're following in the footsteps of an Algeria legend.
07:24Riyad Mahrez had great success here.
07:26Have you had a chance to catch up with him at all about what to expect here at City and what his time was like?
07:31Yeah, yeah, I speak also with Riyad.
07:34I'm with him in the national team.
07:38Yeah, it was the same with Mateus.
07:41He told me about the city, you know?
07:45And, yeah, he told me to give everything for this club.
07:53It's the biggest club in the world.
07:56And, yeah, I tried to follow him.
08:03So you're looking forward to being in Manchester, in the city as well, away from the pitch?
08:07Yeah, yeah, yeah.
08:08After speaking to Riyad?
08:09Yeah, yeah, for sure, for sure.
08:13To be honest, my choice, it was Manchester City in the beginning because what I said,
08:21my family, I want to play for this team.
08:24I like how they develop the game, how they play.
08:30But, yeah, what I said, I'm very happy to be here.
08:35It's a big pleasure for me.
08:38You're still only 24 as well.
08:40How much do you think you can still improve as a player?
08:43Yeah, I'm young.
08:45I need to improve a lot.
08:50I need to learn to improve my football for sure.
08:57And, yeah, for this, I choose this big challenge because I know I can improve my football.
09:08And, yeah, with this kind of condition also with this team and this manager, for sure, I will improve my football.
09:19And finally, can you just talk about what you hope to achieve during your time here?
09:24Yeah.
09:25Yeah.
09:26Yeah.
09:27To win a lot of trophies.
09:31Yeah, to win a lot of trophies.
09:36To give everything for the team, for the badge.
09:39You know.
09:40And, yeah, to be happy to play with my teammates and with the coach and the staff.
09:49Yeah.
09:50Yeah.
09:51Rayan, many thanks for your time and a huge welcome to Manchester City.
09:54Thank you very much.
09:56It's a pleasure.