Bouaddi agrees Man City move as £85m deal for Lille teenager nears completion

Manchester City are closing in on the £85m signing of Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, with the 18-year-old having told his club he wants to make the move to the Etihad. City are confident the deal will be completed before the end of this week, with Bouaddi set to sign a five-year contract running until 2031.

Etihad chiefs accelerated talks with Lille following the sale of Rodri to Barcelona, identifying Bouaddi as a priority target to reshape their midfield. New City head coach Enzo Maresca views the Moroccan as the long-term replacement for Bernardo Silva, who joined Real Madrid at the end of last season.

Bouaddi’s rise has been rapid. He made his Lille debut in October 2023, three days after turning 16, and has since made 88 appearances for the French club. Last season he helped Lille finish third in Ligue 1 and, in doing so, broke a record previously held by Eden Hazard by making 50 Ligue 1 appearances for the club at just 18 years old.

His reputation on the continental stage was cemented in 2024 when he played a starring role in Lille’s shock Champions League victory over Real Madrid. City chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak and senior club figures have been monitoring his development closely, particularly impressed by his composure against more experienced opposition.

Bouaddi further enhanced his standing at this summer’s World Cup, starting five of Morocco’s six matches as they reached the quarter-finals. It was during that tournament that City moved decisively, having already known Rodri would be departing for Barcelona.

Despite the imminent arrival of Bouaddi, City’s midfield rebuild is not yet complete. Talks with Chelsea over a deal for Enzo Fernandez — who would serve as a more direct replacement for the holding-midfielder role vacated by Rodri — have stalled.