Manchester United’s late attempt to sign Manchester City left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri on loan has collapsed, while a separate deadline-day move for Leicester City midfielder Louis Page also fell through.
United had been seeking defensive reinforcements for the second half of the season, but their approach for Ait-Nouri came with less than 12 hours remaining before the Premier League transfer deadline. The English window closed at 11pm on Tuesday, September 1. ([skysports.com](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/13546220/summer-transfer-window-2026-dates-when-is-deadline-day-for-premier-league-and-efl-clubs-to-sign-players))
The club had previously decided against pursuing Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde and Racing Santander’s Jorge Salinas before making an enquiry about the Algeria international.
United sources said they were not seeking a permanent transfer for Ait-Nouri. City, however, would only have considered a loan containing an obligation for United to buy the player, a condition rejected by the Old Trafford club.
Manchester City sources maintained that Ait-Nouri would remain at the Etihad Stadium. The Guardian also reported that the 25-year-old would not be leaving the club. ([theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2026/sep/01/football-transfer-deadline-day-fernandez-alvarez-mudryk-ndiaye-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6a9739238f08b75e8aebd082))
Ait-Nouri joined City from Wolverhampton Wanderers in June 2025 in a deal worth £31 million. He started only 12 Premier League matches in his first campaign and made 31 appearances in all competitions.
The left-back has been named among City’s substitutes in each of their three matches so far this season but has yet to play. Josko Gvardiol and Nico O’Reilly are ahead of him in the pecking order for the position.
A move across Manchester would have been the first transfer between United and City since Terry Cooke joined the Blues for £1 million in January 1999. Owen Hargreaves and Carlos Tevez later moved to City after leaving United when their contracts expired, with Tevez’s arrival famously promoted by City’s ‘Welcome to Manchester’ campaign.
United’s failure to recruit an experienced left-back means 19-year-old Harry Amass will stay at the club rather than take up one of the loan offers understood to be available to him.
Amass spent much of pre-season as Luke Shaw’s understudy but was not included in Michael Carrick’s squad for either of United’s opening Premier League fixtures. He is nevertheless expected to remain as a third-choice option after Noussair Mazraoui deputised for Shaw in Sunday’s 5-2 victory over Ipswich Town.
United also abandoned their attempt to sign Leicester’s teenage midfielder Louis Page. The proposed deal for the 18-year-old was reported to be off late on deadline day. ([theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2026/sep/01/football-transfer-deadline-day-fernandez-alvarez-mudryk-ndiaye-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-6a9730e58f08f08ddc702963))
