Rayan Ait-Nouri set on becoming regular goalscorer for Man City under Enzo Maresca

Ait-Nouri netted his first goal for City during a 3-1 pre-season victory over the K-League All-Stars in Asia, scoring alongside Tijjani Reijnders and Divin Mubama. The Algeria international joined the club in June 2025 and went on to make 31 competitive appearances across all competitions, including the Club World Cup. Despite providing five assists from 30 chances created during his debut campaign, his shooting output generated just 1.1 expected goals (xG) from 19 total attempts.

Speaking to the club's official website about his ambition to find the back of the net more frequently under Maresca, Ait-Nouri emphasised his commitment to continuous development.

Asked whether he hopes to score on a regular basis, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man revealed: "I would like to. It was my first goal for City, and it's a part of the game I really enjoy. I have always tried to play in an attacking way, but I don't score all the time.

"It's a real sensation for me, and I want to learn every day, work more and more to add as much to my game as I can."

Under Maresca's tactical framework, the 25-year-old was deployed in a more advanced role behind striker Mubama, lining up alongside Phil Foden and Antoine Semenyo. City's victory over the K-League XI was their first positive result under Maresca's leadership, and they will conclude their pre-season tour with a challenging match against Atletico Madrid on Sunday.

Regarding the high-profile friendly, Ait-Nouri added: "It will be a different game than the last two games. We really enjoy playing this kind of game against one of the better teams in Europe; it will help us really prepare for next season.

"We know about Atletico's level, and it will be good to play them before we face Arsenal next week."

City will conclude their tour of Asia against Atletico as a final tune-up before taking on their first official competitive fixture of the new campaign. Maresca's side are scheduled to face Arsenal in the Community Shield on August 16 at the Principality Stadium. That encounter will serve as a genuine gauge of City's physical sharpness and new tactical setup ahead of the Premier League kick-off.