Manchester City are one of the biggest football clubs in the world right now. They have won many trophies in recent years and are known for playing beautiful, attacking football. They have some of the best players in the world and one of the most famous managers ever, Pep Guardiola. He has led them to many Premier League titles, FA Cups, League Cups, and even the Champions League. But like all big teams, City are always looking to improve. They know they cannot stay still if they want to keep winning. Football is always changing, and other teams are getting stronger too. That means City need to keep planning for the future, buying new players, and making sure their squad stays strong in every position.
Right now, one of the big problems for City is that Kyle Walker, their experienced right-back, is going to leave. Walker has been a key player for them for many years. He joined City from Tottenham in 2017 and quickly became one of the best right-backs in the world. He is famous for his speed, strength, and experience. He has helped City win many trophies, and he has also been important in the dressing room as a leader. But he is 33 years old now, and he feels ready for a new challenge. He has agreed to move to AC Milan in Italy’s Serie A. It is a big move for him. Milan are a giant club with a lot of history, and they want Walker to bring his experience to help their defence. For City, though, this is a problem. Losing Walker means they lose one of their most reliable defenders, someone who knows Guardiola’s tactics perfectly and who can deal with the pressure of big games. That is why City are working hard to find a replacement.
The name that has come up is Ola Aina. He is a Nigerian international who currently plays for Nottingham Forest. He is 27 years old and has experience in both the Premier League and Serie A. He came through the Chelsea academy, which means he was trained from a young age to play good football and understand complex tactics. After leaving Chelsea, he played in Italy with Torino, where he learned the defensive side of the game really well. Now at Forest, he has become one of their most important players. Forest might not be one of the biggest clubs in England, but they have a passionate fanbase and they rely on players like Aina to keep them competitive. Aina’s ability to play in different positions is one of his biggest strengths. He can play as a traditional right-back, a wing-back, and even on the left if needed. This versatility is very valuable to any manager but especially to Guardiola, who likes players who can adapt to different roles depending on the situation in the game.
Reports say that Manchester City have already made an enquiry to Nottingham Forest about Aina. They want to know if he is available and what Forest might want in return. Forest, understandably, don’t want to lose him. He is a key player for them. They signed him on a three-year deal in 2023, and he has been one of their most consistent performers. He brings stability and experience to their back line. Forest will not want to sell unless the offer is very good. But City have the money to make such deals happen. They know that if they really want Aina, they can put in an offer that will be hard for Forest to refuse.
Why would City want Aina so much? It is partly because of how he plays. People have compared him to Dani Carvajal of Real Madrid. Carvajal is known for being solid defensively but also very good going forward. He can deliver good crosses, support attacks, and also get back quickly to defend. Aina has a similar style. He is strong, fast, and tactically aware. He knows when to push forward and when to stay back. For Guardiola, this is very important. His system requires full-backs who can do everything: defend well, help midfielders keep possession, and create chances from wide areas. Aina has shown he can do all of that. He is also experienced in the Premier League, so he wouldn’t need time to adapt. He knows the pace and physicality of English football.
Another reason City are looking at Aina is because their experiment with Matheus Nunes at right-back didn’t work. Nunes is a midfielder, but Guardiola tried using him as a right-back to cover for Walker. It didn’t really work. Nunes didn’t have the defensive instincts or positional sense that a natural right-back has. He struggled to read the game from that position and often left spaces open. City cannot afford that, especially when they are competing at the highest level in the Premier League and Champions League. They need a proper defender for that role, someone who can slot in seamlessly and do the job without needing a lot of adaptation. Aina seems like the perfect fit
It is also important to understand that City are planning for the long term. Walker leaving is not just about replacing one player. It is about making sure the squad stays strong for years to come. Aina is 27, which is a good age. He is experienced but not too old. He could give City many good years and help them maintain their high standards. Guardiola is known for wanting smart, disciplined players who can follow instructions and adapt. Aina ticks all those boxes. He is also a leader. He has captained Nigeria and has played in big games. That experience will help in the City dressing room, especially when you consider that they are competing on many fronts every season.
City will also think about how Aina would fit into the competition for places. They have other options at right-back, like Rico Lewis, who is a very promising young player from their academy. Lewis has already shown he can handle Premier League football despite his age. But Guardiola won’t want to put too much pressure on him too soon. Bringing in Aina would allow Lewis to develop at his own pace, learning from an experienced professional. There is also Joao Cancelo, but his future is uncertain. He has been out on loan and there are questions about whether he will stay at City. Even if Cancelo returns, his style is different from Walker’s. Cancelo is more attacking but sometimes struggles defensively. Aina would offer a more balanced option, someone who can do both sides of the job reliably.
Nottingham Forest will not make this easy for City. They know how valuable Aina is to their team. Losing him would weaken their defence and make it harder for them to stay in the Premier League. They are not in a position where they have to sell unless they get a very good price. But City have the financial power to make offers that smaller clubs find hard to refuse. If Aina himself wants the move—which is very possible given the chance to play for a title-challenging team in the Champions League—that could also put pressure on Forest to negotiate.
Another layer to this is Guardiola’s own vision for City’s squad. He is always thinking several steps ahead. He doesn’t just want the best players; he wants the right players. He wants players who fit his system, who are intelligent, who can adapt. He wants players who are humble enough to accept tactical instructions and disciplined enough to carry them out. Aina has shown at Forest that he can do that. He is used to playing in teams that sometimes have to defend a lot and stay organized. That is valuable experience, even for a dominant team like City. Because in big Champions League games, you sometimes need that defensive discipline even more than in the league.
The move would also be interesting for Aina personally. For a player who came through Chelsea’s academy, playing for Manchester City would be a huge step up from Nottingham Forest. It would mean regular Champions League football, fighting for trophies every season, and working with one of the best managers in the world. It would also mean playing with some of the best players in the world. That is a dream for most footballers. It would be a chance for him to prove himself at the very highest level, to show he can handle the pressure and the demands of playing for a club that expects to win every game.
For City fans, the prospect of signing Aina would be reassuring. Losing Walker is a big blow. He has been one of the pillars of their defence for years. But bringing in someone like Aina would show that the club is prepared and proactive. It would mean they are not just reacting to problems but planning ahead. It would also fit with City’s usual strategy of signing players who are good value, who might not be the biggest names but who fit the system perfectly and make the team stronger overall.
Of course, nothing is guaranteed in football. Transfers can be complicated. Forest might hold out for a big fee. Aina might have other options. City might look at other targets if the deal proves too difficult or expensive. There could be competition from other clubs who also see Aina’s value. But the fact that City have made an enquiry shows they are serious. They know they need to act quickly to make sure they have a strong squad ready for the new season.
In the end, this potential move is about much more than just replacing one player. It is about maintaining City’s dominance. Guardiola knows that small details can make the difference between winning and losing trophies. Having the right players in every position, players who understand the system and can deliver consistently, is essential. Aina seems like someone who could do that for City. He would not just be a replacement for Walker but an important part of Guardiola’s plan for the future.
For Aina, it would be a reward for years of hard work. From Chelsea’s academy to Italy to Nottingham Forest and now potentially to Manchester City—what a journey that would be. It would show that perseverance and professionalism can lead to the biggest stages in football. And for City, it would be another smart move in their quest to stay at the top of English and European football for many years to come.
That is why this story is so interesting to watch. It is not just about one player leaving or joining. It is about the strategy of one of the best clubs in the world and the dreams of a talented footballer who might be about to take the biggest step of his career. It is about the constant cycle of change in football, where even the best teams have to keep evolving to stay ahead. And as fans, all we can do is wait and see how it all unfolds, knowing that every transfer, every deal, every decision can change the course of a season—or even the history of a club.
