Liverpool and Arsenal battle to sign Morocco's Bouaddi after World Cup breakout

Liverpool and Arsenal are competing to sign Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, with transfer reporter Fabrizio Romano confirming that both clubs have held meetings with the 18-year-old Morocco international’s agent following his standout performances at the 2026 World Cup.

Bouaddi caught the eye on the global stage with a commanding display against Brazil, reinforcing what many in European football had already suspected: that the teenager is among the most complete central midfielders of his generation. Morocco reached the semi-finals of the 2022 Qatar World Cup, and Bouaddi’s latest showing suggests their ambitions at international level are far from spent.

The Lille academy product has drawn comparisons to elite holding and box-to-box midfielders well beyond his age group. FourFourTwo’s Joe Donnohue, who profiled Bouaddi in an earlier feature, wrote that “in terms of up-and-coming No.6/8s across world football, there are few as accomplished on the field as Bouaddi,” adding that he appears “more robust on the floor than most central midfielders, never mind players of a similar age.”

For Liverpool, the pursuit arrives at a moment of transition. The club parted ways with Arne Slot and appointed Basque manager Andoni Iraola, signalling a new direction after their 2024/25 Premier League title win. Mohamed Salah’s nine-year stint at Anfield has also come to a close, and the club is actively reshaping its squad around younger talent. Ivory Coast midfielder Yan Diomande has separately been linked as a potential Salah replacement.

Arsenal, meanwhile, are also in the market for midfield reinforcement and have emerged as Liverpool’s primary rival for Bouaddi’s signature, according to Romano and TEAMtalk’s Graeme Bailey.

Bouaddi is expected to weigh his options after the World Cup concludes, with both clubs understood to have made their interest clear at representative level. No fee or personal terms have been reported at this stage.