Man City ready to hand Bouaddi immediate first-team role in £85m move ahead of Arsenal and United

Manchester City are leading the pursuit of Ayyoub Bouaddi and are willing to make the 18-year-old Lille midfielder an immediate first-team player under Enzo Maresca, even as Lille hold firm on a demand of around €100m (£85m) for one of the World Cup’s standout performers.

Bouaddi was a central figure in Morocco’s run to the World Cup quarter-finals, starting five of their six games before they were eliminated by France. His performances at the tournament have drawn serious attention from several elite clubs, with Manchester City, Arsenal, and Manchester United all credited with an interest in bringing him to the Premier League.

According to The Guardian, City are ‘intent’ on signing the teenager and their willingness to hand him immediate senior minutes could prove a decisive advantage over their domestic rivals. City’s director of football Hugo Viana is described as a major admirer of Bouaddi’s technical ability and positional sense, and the club have no concerns about his capacity to handle the physical demands of English football given his 6ft 1in frame.

The move would come on top of City’s already significant summer spending. The club have already completed the signing of Elliot Anderson from Newcastle in a deal worth £116m, yet that outlay has not dampened their appetite for further midfield reinforcement.

Bouaddi made his senior debut for Lille shortly after his 16th birthday and has since established himself as one of European football’s most coveted young players. Should Lille’s valuation be met, he would rank among the most expensive teenage footballers ever sold.

Maresca has inherited a squad in transition following the departure of Pep Guardiola, who oversaw a decade of sustained dominance at the Etihad. Strengthening midfield has been a clear priority this window, and landing Bouaddi would represent a significant statement of intent as City begin life under their new manager.