Who is Ayyoub Bouaddi, LOSC Lille’s in-demand midfielder?

Ayyoub Bouaddi is an 18-year-old central midfielder with LOSC Lille, whose growing profile has made him one of the club’s in-demand young players. He holds both Moroccan and French citizenship and is valued at €80 million by Lille.

Bouaddi’s football development has taken place within the Lille system since he joined from Creil Youth in the 2021/22 season. He moved into the LOSC Lille youth setup during that campaign, beginning a progression through the club’s age-group teams.

The midfielder then advanced from LOSC Lille’s youth side to the club’s under-17 team in the 2022/23 season. That same season, he made another step up by moving from LOSC Lille U17 to LOSC Lille U19.

His route into the senior Lille structure followed in the 2023/24 season, when he moved from LOSC Lille U19 to Lille. The sequence gives Bouaddi a clear record of progression through the club rather than a career built on moves between different senior teams.

At central midfield, Bouaddi’s profile is built around a position at the heart of the team. His current club, age and market valuation place him among Lille’s most closely watched young assets, while his dual citizenship gives his international identity a Moroccan and French dimension.

Bouaddi’s story so far is therefore one of steady internal advancement: from Creil Youth to Lille’s youth ranks, then through the under-17 and under-19 teams before reaching the senior club. At 18, he is now the Lille midfielder attracting attention beyond the club.