Manchester City are eager to sign Morocco midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille, according to reports.
Bouaddi won rave reviews for his performances in Morocco’s run to the quarter-finals. He featured in every match apart from the last group game against Haiti, and was included in the starting line-up for the Atlas Lions’ defeat against World Cup favourites France in the last eight.
World Cup transfers aren’t the minefield they once were. Rare is the player who bursts onto the scene without prior exposure to the vast armies of recruitment experts working at the world’s leading football clubs.
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Bouaddi potential 'confirmed' by World Cup performances for Morocco
Bouaddi’s performances won’t have surprised any of the scouts and sporting directors already tracking his progress but the World Cup has perhaps sharpened their interest.
“The 18-year-old Lille midfielder was already well known by keen observers in Europe and beyond, with a host of top clubs monitoring his progress and determined to prise him from the Ligue 1 side,” reports David Ornstein for The Athletic.
“However, the [World Cup] served to confirm both his existing level and future potential – in turn, cranking up the interest from those suitors.
“Prominent among them are Manchester City, and the 10-time Premier League champions are pushing hard for Bouaddi ahead of him making a decision on his future, which is expected soon.”
Bouaddi was born in northern France and joined Lille’s academy set-up five years ago. He has played more than 60 matches for Lille in Ligue 1 since making his debut in 2023.
The teenager breezed through the junior ranks as a French international, ascending from under-16 to under-21 between 2022 and 2024, but the chance to represent Morocco at the World Cup persuaded him to switch.
Less than two months after playing for France Under-21s against Iceland, Bouaddi was named in Mohamed Ouahbi’s World Cup squad without ever having played for Morocco at any level.
Ornstein reports that Lille would be willing to sell Bouaddi for a fee in the region of £85 million, which is bound to put off some of the clubs interesting in signing the Morocco international.
According to The Athletic’s top transfer reporter, Arsenal and Manchester United have been ‘in contact with Bouaddi’s camp’ in the last year in addition to City.
“While there are clubs open to doing a deal now and allowing Bouaddi to continue developing at Lille for another season, it is thought City would rather integrate him immediately.”
Man City have already had an active summer transfer window. England midfielder Elliot Anderson has been signed from Nottingham Forest, while 19-year-old Troyes winger Mathys Detourbet was brought in and immediately loaned to Monaco.
Goalkeeper Pierce Charles and winger Jeremy Monga have both been signed from teams relegated from the Championship last season, while centre-backs Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake have been sold. Bernardo Silva and John Stones left the club upon the expiry of their contracts.
