Arsenal are set to compete for Wolves defender Rayan Ait-Nouri this summer, though they’ll be up against their Premier League title rivals.

Wolverhampton Wanderers' Rayan Ait-Nouri celebrates after scoring their first goal during the English FA Cup Quarter-final football match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Coventry City at the Molineux stadium in Wolverhampton, central England on March 16, 2024. (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Rayan Ait-Nouri celebrates after scoring their first goal during the English FA Cup Quarter-final football match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Coventry City at the Molineux stadium in Wolverhampton, central England on March 16, 2024. (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Simon Mullock reports for the Mirror that Manchester City, Liverpool, and Arsenal are all set to compete for the signing of Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolves this summer.

Ait-Nouri has often operated as an inverted left-back this season, and that’s evidently caught the attentions of Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta.

The player has a complex contract situation, with Angers holding a 50% sell-on clause in his contract, but Wolves having the option to buy-out the clause early.

If the interest from the three Premier League title challengers looks to be genuine, now might be a good time to get rid of that clause and cash in.

Latest Arsenal injury updates and news
BURNLEY, ENGLAND: Rayan Ait-Nouri of Wolverhampton Wanderers celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Premier League match between Burnley FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Turf Moor on April 02, 2024. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
BURNLEY, ENGLAND: Rayan Ait-Nouri of Wolverhampton Wanderers celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Premier League match between Burnley FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Turf Moor on April 02, 2024. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

For Arsenal’s part, though Oleksandr Zinchenko currently looks set to stay at Arsenal, there are some question marks around the left-back right now.

The Gunners aren’t in talks with Zinchenko over a new contract, despite the fact he’s approaching the final two years of his deal. The club have been very proactive with other players running their deals down, but not the Ukraine international.

Jakub Kiwior and Takehiro Tomiyasu both look just as likely to start matches as Zinchenko at the moment, despite the fact their natural positions lie elsewhere on the pitch.

Arsenal may well be in the market for another left-back this summer, and Ait-Nouri is clearly a strong option.

BURNLEY, ENGLAND: Rayan Ait-Nouri of Wolverhampton Wanderers is challenged by Dara O'Shea of Burnley during the Premier League match between Burnley FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Turf Moor on April 02, 2024. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
BURNLEY, ENGLAND: Rayan Ait-Nouri of Wolverhampton Wanderers is challenged by Dara O’Shea of Burnley during the Premier League match between Burnley FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Turf Moor on April 02, 2024. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Ait-Nouri has been a regular starter for Wolves this season, making 33 appearances in all competitions, including 27 starts.

The left-back also starts for his country, playing the full 90 in nine of Algeria’s 12 games since the start of the current campaign.

But there are perhaps some questions around Ait-Nouri’s fitness.

The 22-year-old was forced off with an injury four times in the first half of the season, usually returning for the next game, but missing a couple of weeks in December including Wolves’ trip to Arsenal.

The Algerian international suffered another fitness setback this month, missing the Nottingham Forest clash and only coming off the bench against Arsenal.

Though Ait-Nouri has completed nine full 90s in 12 games for Algeria, he’s only managed nine in 40 games for Wolves. Given Arsenal’s existing fitness problems in the left-back position, that’s a little worrying.

Latest Arsenal injury updates and news