Manchester City Pursuing World Cup Star Ayyoub Bouaddi
Manchester City are moving through the gears in their pursuit of Ayyoub Bouaddi, the 18-year-old midfielder who lit up this summer’s World Cup with Morocco.
The Lille talent started in all but one of Morocco’s matches on their run to the quarter-finals, turning a promising Ligue 1 campaign into a full-blown European audition. He had only just broken into the national team in the weeks before the tournament, but his rise since then has been relentless.
At club level, Bouaddi played a key role in Lille’s surge to third place in Ligue 1 last season, a finish that secured Champions League football and pushed his name to the top of scouting lists across the continent. That momentum has now drawn City into serious talks.
City in the “driver’s seat” – but Lille not letting go easily
New Lille head coach Davide Ancelotti, who stepped in after Bruno Genesio’s move to Marseille, confirmed that negotiations are active and that City are among several heavyweights circling.
“Of course, there are negotiations. Many clubs are interested in him,” Ancelotti told Ouest France, underlining just how hot the market is for the teenager.
A fee of around €100m (£85.5m) has been floated as the figure that could unlock the deal. That number reflects both Bouaddi’s current impact and his long-term potential, and it would place him firmly among the most expensive midfielders of his generation.
Yet Lille are not treating this as a farewell tour. Ancelotti was clear that, for now, Bouaddi remains central to his plans.
“He is a very, very good player and I hope he will stay with us. The season starts next week and I consider him a player at my disposal,” he said, striking a firm note amid the transfer noise.
Limited minutes, big questions
Bouaddi’s 45-minute outing against Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday only fuelled speculation. The midfielder started but did not reappear after the break, prompting immediate questions from the French press about whether Lille were protecting a prized asset ahead of a potential move.
Ancelotti pushed back on that narrative, insisting the decision was rooted in workload management rather than transfer choreography.
“He was physically ready to play and he did play 45 minutes – but that's only because I have to manage his playing time,” the Italian explained.
Even so, when a teenager with a nine-figure price tag plays only half a pre-season friendly in England, the timing is hard to ignore. City’s interest is real, the talks are underway, and Lille know exactly what they are sitting on.
For now, Bouaddi’s immediate task is straightforward: prepare for Lille’s Ligue 1 opener, a trip to Angers on Sunday afternoon. Whether that is the start of another season in northern France or the final chapter before a blockbuster move to Manchester is the question hanging over the week.
