Bouaddi impresses at World Cup, Real Madrid ready to spend over €70M for Lille midfielder

Ayyoub Bouaddi has established himself as one of the revelations of the 2026 World Cup with Morocco, and Real Madrid is closely monitoring the LOSC midfielder. According to Spanish sports daily AS, the Madrid club is ready to meet Lille’s financial demands to sign the player after the tournament.

Bouaddi made a strong impression in the opening match against Brazil before confirming his form against Scotland. AS highlights his “boldness and clarity in his distribution”, saying he “has the makings of a star”. After the Scotland match, the player was asked in the mixed zone about a potential move to Real Madrid. His response: a smile.

Real Madrid maintains a long tradition of post-World Cup recruitment. Mesut Özil joined the Casa Blanca after the 2010 edition, James Rodriguez and Keylor Navas after 2014. In 2026, the merengue club already has numerous players competing in the tournament — Mbappé, Tchouaméni, Vinicius, Bellingham, Valverde, among others — to which are added the announced summer signings Cucurella, Konaté, Bernardo Silva and Dumfries.

To prise Bouaddi away from Lille, however, a significant fee will be required. Olivier Giroud, who has played alongside the prospect this season at LOSC, was direct on the matter: “His transfer will be above €60 or 70 million. That’s the market price now. It will be difficult for Lille to keep him.” The French striker painted a glowing portrait of his young teammate: “He’s a truly complete and versatile player. He’s everywhere, always in the right place on the pitch, a bit like N’Golo Kanté.” Giroud points to one area for improvement, however: “The only thing he needs to improve is his finishing. He needs to be more aggressive in front of goal. If he manages that, he’ll be playing for Real Madrid next season.”

LOSC president Olivier Létang has already moved to manage a potential negotiation, aware that interest from top European clubs in Bouaddi will only grow as the tournament progresses.