Manchester United's Ait-Nouri loan enquiry ends without deal

Manchester United failed in a deadline-day attempt to sign Manchester City full-back Rayan Ait-Nouri on loan, BBC Sport reported. The club also missed out on Leicester City midfielder Louis Page, leaving both players with their existing teams after the transfer window closed.

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United had been trying to strengthen a defence that club officials regarded as an area of concern during the latter stages of the window. According to the BBC, United had decided not to pursue Barcelona's Alejandro Balde or Racing Santander's Jorge Salinas before asking whether a deal for Ait-Nouri was possible with fewer than 12 hours remaining.

Sources at United told the BBC that the club did not want a permanent transfer. Manchester City would only consider a loan carrying an obligation to buy, according to the report, and United rejected those terms. City sources said the Algeria international would stay with the club.

Ait-Nouri has been an unused substitute in City's first three games of the season, with Josko Gvardiol and Nico O'Reilly ahead of him among Enzo Maresca's left-back options. The 25-year-old joined City from Wolves for £31 million in June 2025. He started 12 Premier League matches and made 31 appearances in all competitions during his first season.

The failed approach also affected Harry Amass. BBC Sport said the 19-year-old had received several loan offers and had been expected to leave, but will now remain because United did not add an experienced left-back. Amass served as Luke Shaw's deputy for much of pre-season but was not selected for either of Michael Carrick's first two Premier League squads. Noussair Mazraoui replaced Shaw during Sunday's 5-2 victory over Ipswich.

United's separate pursuit of Page also ended without an agreement. The 18-year-old started Leicester's League One match against Plymouth on Tuesday, and sources later confirmed to the BBC that he would remain at the club. Leicester wanted well above £10 million for a midfielder who debuted in August 2025 and has made 25 first-team appearances. United had been prepared to loan him back after already spending more than £150 million on midfielders Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba. The report said Baleba, a £70 million signing from Brighton, will miss the next couple of weeks with a minor ankle problem.