Ultra popular Rayan Ait-Nouri could become Dream Team cheat code if stars align at Manchester City
WHETHER you’re new to Dream Team or a gaffer returning for their 25th season, it’s important to bear in mind the importance of attack-minded defenders.
Clean sheets are hugely valuable but the most successful defenders combine defensive returns with attacking output.
And that brings us neatly onto the latest subject of our SCOUT REPORT series as we build towards the new campaign… Rayan Ait-Nouri.
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The 24-year-old finished eighth among assets in his position last season having amassed 231 points.
All but one of the defenders above him in the rankings benefited from additional European fixtures.
Ait-Nouri averaged 5.6 points-per-game, a rate bettered by just Trent Alexander-Arnold, Daniel Munoz and Pedro Porro, the three best defenders in terms of total points.
That he was able to register such stats while representing Wolves (finished 16th after losing 20 league games) is a testament to his quality.
Looking ahead, it will be interesting to see how the Algerian’s transfer to Manchester City will affect his viability.
Pep Guardiola’s side endured an underwhelming season by their standards last time out but there remains a chasm between them and Wolves.
If Ait-Nouri is able to establish himself as a regular starter for City, he may be in the conversation for 2025/26’s outright best defender.
Cementing a place in Guardiola’s XI is easier said than done as the decorated tactician has never been shy of rotation, a frequent frustration for Dream Team managers.
However, City have been crying out for a new left-back ever since Josko Gvardiol reverted to centre-back – young Nico O’Reilly has impressed but he’s a midfielder by trade.
The Croatia international’s days at full-back are not necessarily over but the prospect of Ait-Nouri being the first-choice selection is an intriguing one for Dream Team bosses.
Truth be told, Ait-Nouri is a defender in the loosest sense of the word.
Last season, he essentially played as an additional midfielder for Wolves and often occupied areas usually reserved for playmakers, hence how he scored five goals and provided seven assists.
Only Munoz and Porro registered more shots on target in all competitions.
That’s not to say Ait-Nouri shirks his defensive responsibilities; he ranked joint-fifth in his position for tackles with 101.
It’s clear to see why he’s currently the third-most popular defender in the game with a sizeable ownership of 17.2%.
For all Man City’s hiccups of late, their attacking vigour remains among the best in Europe and there may be bountiful points for Ait-Nouri if he is encouraged to flex his creative muscles in possession.
More conservative gaffers may prefer to wait and see how Ait-Nouri slips into City’s pecking order but if everything aligns neatly then his potential is sky high.
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