Journalist reveals Pep Guardiola ‘impressed’ by left-back playing ‘number 10’ role for Manchester City | OneFootball

One of Manchester City’s expected defensive mainstays has left a positive impression on Pep Guardiola whilst operating in a ‘number 10’ role, according to new reports.

Guardiola is certainly no stranger to experimenting with positional versatility, having regularly deployed a wide range of players far from their natural roles in order to unlock tactical advantages.

From Rico Lewis’ inverted full-back role during the Treble-winning season of 2023 to Matheus Nunes’ spells at right-back last campaign, the Manchester City boss has always valued adaptability and it appears his latest trial is producing encouraging results.

This summer’s pre-season has been particularly intriguing given the influx of new faces such as Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders, and Rayan Ait-Nouri. City’s recruitment drive has signalled a desire to refresh the squad following departures and uncertain futures of senior players.

For Guardiola, the weeks before the campaign are critical for assessing who can adapt to his intricate system, especially with fixtures during the FIFA Club World Cup and the publicly-viewed friendly against Palermo earlier this month serving as a live tactical laboratory.

Rayan Ait-Nouri, who arrived as a specialist left-back, was initially viewed as competition for the position alongside the likes of Josko Gvardiol, Nathan Ake, and Nico O’Reilly. However, in typical Pep Guardiola fashion, the Algerian has been given a chance to showcase an entirely different skillset – one that could change perceptions of his role at the Etihad Stadium.

According to journalist Guillem Balague, Pep Guardiola has been left ‘impressed’ by Ait-Nouri – a player who is said to ‘love coming inside’ and is a ‘great number ten, too’.

It is further revealed that Guardiola has received a positive impression from Tijjani Reijnders through the Dutchman’s ability in the ‘Rodri role’ as well as ‘breaking lines of pressure’ with a pass, and his goalscoring prowess.

If Ait-Nouri continues to excel in more advanced positions, it could open the door to a fresh tactical wrinkle in Manchester City’s play this season. Pep Guardiola has previously used defenders as midfielders or attackers in certain match phases, often to create overloads or confuse opposition structures.

An attacking left-back capable of operating as a creative hub could give Manchester City an extra dimension, particularly against teams who sit deep and defend in numbers. As for Tijjani Reijnders, his smooth integration into the Rodri role could prove vital for rotation purposes, especially given Pep Guardiola’s caution with overplaying the Spaniard.

The ability to switch between a double pivot or staggered midfield set-up without losing control is something Manchester City arguably missed in the 2024/25 campaign, and Reijnders’ range of passing and goal threat might be the key to solving that.

With the season fast approaching, all eyes will be on whether Pep Guardiola’s experimental use of Rayan Ait-Nouri and Tijjani Reijnders continues in competitive action – or if this is simply a pre-season trial run before reverting to more familiar shapes.

Either way, it adds yet another layer of intrigue to a Manchester City squad already undergoing significant tactical evolution.