Bouaddi set for City debut at Palace as Doku and Nunes face fitness doubts

Ayyoub Bouaddi is in line to make his Manchester City debut at Crystal Palace on Friday after manager Enzo Maresca confirmed the £80m midfielder is fit following his move from Lille earlier this week.

The 18-year-old Morocco international arrives to bolster a City midfield depleted by the departures of Rodri, Bernardo Silva, and Nico Gonzalez this summer. Bouaddi will compete for a place alongside record signing Elliot Anderson, with Mateo Kovacic and Marc Guehi — who was pressed into midfield against Bournemouth — also available options.

“Yeah, he’s ready,” Maresca said of Bouaddi. “He was working with his former club so he is fit. We will see how long it is in terms of adaptation but for sure he is ready to go. We need to go slowly because he is very young and came from a different country. So no rush for him — for sure he is going to help us now and in the future, but he is very mature.”

Maresca also addressed the weight of expectation that comes with such a significant transfer fee at a young age. “I think so [he can handle the pressure]. He doesn’t look 18 and this is important, and it is my job and from the club to manage him in the best way — don’t put pressure on him, know that he is young and that he needs time.”

On the injury front, Jeremy Doku will not travel to Selhurst Park, while Matheus Nunes, who came off the bench against Bournemouth, is still not fully fit and may have to settle for a substitute role. Anderson, who came off against the Cherries with cramp, is available.

Maresca also faces a decision at right back, weighing whether to keep Rico Lewis in that position or shift Abdukodir Khusanov across and deploy either Nico O’Reilly or Guehi in the back four.