Manchester City have intensified their interest in Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi following the 18-year-old’s impressive performances for Morocco at the World Cup.
Bouaddi emerged as one of the tournament’s leading young players, starting five of Morocco’s six matches as the Atlas Lions reached the quarter-finals.
Their campaign ended with a 2-0 defeat to France, but Bouaddi’s composure, positional awareness and ability to carry the ball under pressure attracted attention from several leading European clubs.
According to Jamie Jackson of The Guardian, City are intent on signing the teenager in a deal worth approximately €100 million, equivalent to around £85 million.
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New manager Enzo Maresca reportedly plans to include Bouaddi in his first-team squad immediately rather than sending him back to Lille on loan.
City face competition from Premier League rivals
Manchester City are not alone in tracking the highly rated midfielder.
Manchester United have monitored Bouaddi since before the World Cup, while Arsenal are also understood to have followed his development closely.
As reported by Sky Sports, City’s interest forms part of a broader midfield rebuild under Maresca and sporting director Hugo Viana.
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The same report states that Tijjani Reijnders, Mateo Kovacic and Nico González have attracted interest from other clubs, potentially creating space for another central midfielder.
However, City have not yet reached an agreement with Lille, and the reported €100 million price would represent an extraordinary investment in a player who only turned 18 in October.
Bouaddi’s contract gives the French club a strong negotiating position. Lille announced in December 2025 that he had extended his deal until June 2029.
Bouaddi’s rapid rise continues
Born in Senlis, France, Bouaddi joined Lille’s academy in 2021 after beginning his development with AFC Creil.
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He signed his first professional contract at 15 and made his senior debut against KÍ Klaksvík in the Europa Conference League shortly after his 16th birthday.
That appearance made him the youngest player to feature in a major European club competition. He later started against Real Madrid in the Champions League on the day he turned 17, helping Lille secure a memorable 1-0 victory.
Lille have described Bouaddi as a technically gifted and versatile box-to-box midfielder who is also capable of recovering possession and controlling the tempo of matches.
According to the club’s announcement of his latest contract extension, Bouaddi had already made 72 senior appearances by December 2025.
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His development has since accelerated further through his international career.
Bouaddi represented France at several youth levels and made ten appearances for the under-21 team. He was even handed the captain’s armband during the March 2026 international break.
However, he decided to represent Morocco at senior level shortly before the World Cup.
As described by SPORTbible, the switch was confirmed on May 14, less than a month before the tournament began.
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He subsequently established himself in Morocco’s midfield and was involved in all but one of their matches in North America.
Rodri’s future remains uncertain
City’s pursuit of Bouaddi comes as the club attempt to resolve Rodri’s future.
The Spain midfielder’s current contract expires in June 2027, leaving him with one year remaining at the Etihad Stadium.
Real Madrid have been repeatedly linked with Rodri, although City do not want to sell him and remain interested in agreeing a new contract.
According to Graeme Bailey’s report for TEAMtalk, Rodri is expected to meet Maresca and Viana after returning from World Cup duty in August.
The talks are expected to focus on City’s sporting plans and whether the 30-year-old sees his long-term future in Manchester.
The report claims Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez regards Rodri as an “on-pitch coach” capable of controlling matches and setting standards for those around him.
No decision has yet been made, however, and City are said to remain hopeful that Rodri will extend his contract.
Bouaddi should therefore not necessarily be viewed as a direct replacement. City could instead see the teenager as a long-term addition who would initially develop alongside the Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder.
Anderson agreement begins City rebuild
City have already agreed a major midfield transfer this summer.
The club announced on July 2 that it had reached an agreement with Nottingham Forest for England international Elliot Anderson.
According to Manchester City’s official statement, Anderson completed a medical while representing England at the World Cup, but the remaining formalities will not be finalised until he returns home.
The fee has been reported as £116 million, which would make Anderson the most expensive English footballer in history.
Completing a further €100 million deal for Bouaddi would take City’s spending on the two midfielders to approximately £200 million.
It would also underline the scale of the rebuilding project inherited by Maresca, who officially succeeded Pep Guardiola in June.
City’s interest is serious, but the proposed transfer remains at an early stage. Lille are under no pressure to sell, several rival clubs are monitoring Bouaddi, and Rodri’s future is unlikely to become clearer until after the World Cup.
