The dream Manchester United and Wolves swap transfer deal that could see both sides soar

Manchester United have the opportunity to bring in some new faces before the end of the January transfer window. They have until the deadline on Monday 3rd February to acquire some reinforcements.

The Red Devils have under-performed so far this season and are hoping for some more consistency over the coming weeks and months. They won 1-0 away at Fulham at Craven Cottage over the weekend.

As for Wolves, they have slipped into the bottom three along with Southampton and Ipswich Town. They were beaten 1-0 by Arsenal at home.

Vitor Pereira’s side have fallen below Leicester City after the Foxes beat Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon. They are now a point behind Ruud van Nistelrooy’s men.

Why Rayan Aït-Nouri would suit Manchester United

Rayan Aït-Nouri faces an uncertain long-term at Wolves and is a player who they will face a battle to keep, especially if they went into the Championship. Left-back has been a problem position for United over recent years and he would suit the Red Devils.

Diogo Dalot has been playing out of position for what feels like an age with Luke Shaw struggling with his fitness. Meanwhile, Tyrell Malacia has also had his injury woes and hasn’t been able to nail down a regular place in the team.

Aït-Nouri, 23, has bags of Premier League experience and still has potential to get better in the future. He moved to the Midlands back in 2020 on an initial loan deal from Angers that was later made permanent.

The Algeria international is a player who likes to get up and down the left flank of defence. If United got him, he would give them something different in their squad. Aït-Nouri has made 137 appearances in all competitions for Wolves and he has chipped in with 11 goals, four of which have come in this campaign. His contract expires in 2026 meaning he still has over 12 months left.

Tyrell Malacia is ideal for Wolves

United should try and use Malacia as part of a swap deal. That would mean that Wolves would have a ready-made replacement. The Dutchman will feel that he has a point to prove in England and could be a shrewd option for Pereira’s side. He has been with the Red Devils since 2022 and has played 46 matches.

He was highly-rated when he first joined and said at the time: “It’s an incredible feeling to have joined Manchester United. This is a new chapter for me, a new league with new team-mates and a tremendous manager [Erik ten Hag] leading us. I know from playing against his teams in the Eredivisie, the qualities that he has and what he demands of his players.

“Whilst I know that I am still young and will continue to develop, I can promise the United fans that I will leave everything on the pitch every time I pull on the red shirt. I’ll always be thankful to Feyenoord for all they have given to me and my family. None of this would be possible if it wasn’t for them. Now I’m ready to focus on the future with United, and help my new club achieve success.”

Malacia was very much an Erik ten Hag signing which means it is yet to be known whether Ruben Amorim likes him. If he is given the green light to go, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see other top flight teams like Wolves sniffing around.