Manchester City target Bouaddi as £116m Anderson signing signals midfield overhaul

Manchester City are monitoring Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi as new manager Enzo Maresca accelerates a major overhaul of the club’s midfield, with the 18-year-old Moroccan international emerging as a transfer target alongside the record-breaking arrival of Elliot Anderson.

Anderson is set to join City from Nottingham Forest in a deal worth £116m, making him the most expensive British player in history. The signing underlines the scale of City’s ambitions to reshape the engine room they inherited from Pep Guardiola.

Bouaddi caught the eye at the World Cup, where he was among the tournament’s standout young players as Morocco advanced to the quarter-finals. The teenager, who previously captained France at Under-21 level before switching international allegiance, featured against his country of birth in the last eight.

The need for reinforcements has been sharpened by the departure of Bernardo Silva, who joined Real Madrid on a free transfer after his contract expired. Silva had been a central figure in City’s midfield for several seasons, and his exit leaves a significant void.

Uncertainty also surrounds the futures of Mateo Kovacic, Tijjani Reijnders, and Nico Gonzalez, adding further urgency to Maresca’s recruitment plans. Beyond the midfield, the new City boss is also prioritising the full-back positions as he looks to put his own stamp on the squad.