Manchester City Target Morocco Star Ayyoub Bouaddi
Manchester City are pushing ahead with a deal for one of the summer’s standout talents, with Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi now at the centre of serious negotiations.
The 18-year-old lit up the World Cup, starting in all but one of Morocco’s matches as they surged to the quarter-finals. Only weeks earlier he had made his senior international debut, riding the momentum of a superb season with Lille that ended with third place in Ligue 1 and a Champions League return secured.
That rise has been meteoric. It has also been impossible for Europe’s elite to ignore.
City circle as Lille brace themselves
New Lille head coach Davide Ancelotti has confirmed that talks are underway, with City believed to be leading the chase for the teenager.
“Of course, there are negotiations. Many clubs are interested in him,” Ancelotti told Ouest France, underlining just how crowded the race has become.
City, though, appear to be pressing hardest. A fee of around €100m (£85.5m) has been floated as the figure likely to unlock the deal, a price tag that reflects both Bouaddi’s present impact and his long-term potential.
The situation came into sharper focus on Saturday. Bouaddi played only 45 minutes in Lille’s friendly against Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium, a brief outing that immediately triggered speculation in France that the club were protecting a prized asset ahead of a possible move.
Ancelotti’s dilemma
Ancelotti, who took over at Lille earlier in the summer after Bruno Genesio’s departure to Marseille, moved quickly to calm the noise. He insisted that, for now at least, Bouaddi remains very much part of his plans.
“He is a very, very good player and I hope he will stay with us,” the Italian said. “The season starts next week and I consider him a player at my disposal.”
On the limited minutes against Everton, Ancelotti pushed back at the idea of any hidden message.
“He was physically ready to play and he did play 45 minutes – but that’s only because I have to manage his playing time.”
Even so, with a nine-figure valuation in the air and one of Europe’s superclubs at the table, Lille know the pressure is only going to rise.
For now, their focus is on Sunday’s Ligue 1 opener away to Angers. Whether Bouaddi is still their player by the time the window closes is a very different question – and one that Manchester City seem increasingly determined to answer.
