Manchester City Agree €100m Deal for Lille Star Ayyoub Bouaddi

The 18-year-old is set to move to the Etihad Stadium after City agreed to pay an initial €95m for the Morocco international, with a further €5m available in performance-related bonuses. The agreement includes a five-year contract with an option for an additional 12 months.

Bouaddi's transfer is expected to be completed after he undergoes a medical, with Lille having left the teenager out of their Ligue 1 squad while the final stages of the move are concluded.

The midfielder has emerged as one of European football's most highly regarded young talents. He made his senior debut for Lille at just 16 and quickly established himself as an important member of the French club's first-team squad.

During the 2025/26 campaign, Bouaddi made 30 Ligue 1 appearances as Lille finished third and secured Champions League football. His performances also earned him international recognition with Morocco.

City move for midfield reinforcement

Manchester City's decision to sign Bouaddi comes amid major changes in their midfield.

The club have already lost Rodri, who moved to Barcelona, while Tijjani Reijnders also departed for Saudi Arabia. City subsequently brought in Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for a reported £116 million, and Bouaddi is now set to become another major addition to the midfield.

Bouaddi's performances at the 2026 World Cup further raised his profile. The teenager featured prominently for Morocco during their run to the quarter-finals, starting five of their six matches.

His ability to operate in a deeper midfield role has made him an attractive option for City's new manager, Enzo Maresca, as the club reshape their squad following the departures of several established players.

Record-breaking transfer for teenager

The reported €100m package would make Bouaddi one of the most expensive teenage players in football history and among the biggest transfers ever completed by Manchester City.

The move also underlines City's willingness to invest heavily in young talent as they look to build the next generation of their midfield.

Although Bouaddi is unlikely to be viewed as a direct replacement for Rodri immediately, his arrival gives City another technically gifted and versatile option in the centre of the pitch.

With the agreement now in place, the remaining formalities are expected to be completed before Bouaddi officially begins his Manchester City career.