Deal Details

Manchester City have agreed a €100m (≈£86m) deal in principle to bring 18-year-old Moroccan midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille. The French club will receive the transfer fee, while City will add a young talent to their midfield roster for the 2026-27 season.

International Choice

Bouaddi, who grew up in Creil, France, represented France at every youth level but opted to play for Morocco at the senior level. He posted a childhood photo on Instagram showing a 10-year-old wearing a Moroccan shirt at the 2018 World Cup. “I am aware of the privilege I have to defend these colours and I will give everything to best represent my country,” he said.

The decision came after a World Cup campaign that saw Morocco become the first African nation to reach consecutive quarter-finals. Bouaddi faced players such as Casemiro, Lucas Paquetá and Bruno Guimaraes, impressing with “confidence, a great aura and a strong presence on the pitch” according to former Morocco international Hassan Kachloul.

Career Highlights

Bouaddi made his senior debut for Lille a few days after his 16th birthday in 2023, becoming the youngest player ever to appear for the club. He then broke a record held by Eden Hazard by reaching 50 Ligue 1 appearances at 18. On his 17th birthday, he helped Lille defeat Real Madrid in the Champions League, earning praise from fans and club insiders.

Lille’s former coach Sofiane Khair said, “No one is shocked here; it’s logical.” Former coach Armand Doue noted that Bouaddi “does this kind of match every weekend on the pitches of Ligue 1.”

Personal Traits

Bouaddi is described as a perfectionist who constantly questions himself. He studied mathematics in his spare time and once won an oratory competition at the Élysée Palace. Former Lille coach Mickael Delestrez recalled that Bouaddi would ask, “What do you expect from me?” even in his first game with an older age group.

He is a box-to-box midfielder who needs to improve his finishing, according to World Cup winner Olivier Giroud, who praised his maturity and potential. Moroccan journalist Amine el Amri compared him to Sergio Busquets, noting his calmness with the ball and low foul count.

Final Detail

Bouaddi will join Manchester City in the summer transfer window, where he will begin training with the squad ahead of the 2026-27 Premier League campaign.