Manchester City target €100m-rated Moroccan midfielder Bouaddi

Manchester City are in advanced talks with Lille over a possible move for Ayyoub Bouaddi, with the French club valuing the Morocco midfielder at around €100 million. The 18-year-old started five of Morocco’s six matches at the 2026 World Cup, helping the Atlas Lions reach the quarter-finals.

City want to complete the deal this week as they assess Bouaddi as a possible replacement for Rodri. The Spain midfielder is set to move to Barcelona for £65 million, leaving City looking for another player capable of operating at the base of midfield.

Bouaddi is a central midfielder who currently plays for Lille. He holds Moroccan and French citizenship and has developed through the club’s youth system, moving from Lille’s academy to the under-17s, then the under-19s, before joining the senior side.

His senior debut came in October 2023, three days after his 16th birthday. He has since made 88 appearances for Lille and contributed to the club’s third-place finish in Ligue 1 last season.

The teenager also drew wider attention during Lille’s 2024 Champions League win over Real Madrid. City view his ability to control matches from a deep position as a key quality, while his arrival would add another midfield option alongside summer signing Elliot Anderson.

Lille’s €100 million valuation would place Bouaddi among the most expensive African players in football history if a transfer were completed. His market value is listed at €80 million, reflecting the gap between the current valuation and the French club’s reported asking price. A move to Manchester would be another major step for a player who has risen rapidly since breaking into Lille’s first team.