City Prepares €100 Million Transfer: Bouaddi Arrives
Manchester City is in the final stages of negotiations with Lille to bring in 18-year-old Moroccan midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, filling the void left by the agreed departure of Rodri to Barcelona.
Manchester City is in the final stages of negotiations with Lille to bring in 18-year-old Moroccan midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, filling the void left by the agreed departure of Rodri to Barcelona.
The English champions are on the verge of completing a major deal that would give their midfield a completely new look. According to the BBC, Manchester City is negotiating with Lille for the transfer of Ayyoub Bouaddi, an 18-year-old Moroccan international for whom the French club is demanding as much as €100 million. Fabrizio Romano confirms that City is determined to finalize the deal immediately after the sale of Rodri to Barcelona has been agreed.
The pace of negotiations with Lille is directly influenced by Rodri's departure. The Spanish midfielder is expected to sign a four-year contract with Barcelona, with City receiving approximately €75 million in compensation. The 2024 Ballon d'Or winner closes his chapter in Manchester after seven seasons, during which he made 298 appearances and won a host of trophies.
Last season, Rodri spent most of his time off the pitch due to a serious knee injury, and later also dealt with hamstring issues. However, at the World Cup, he shone once again, captaining Spain to the title, which further solidified Barcelona's decision to bring him in.
Despite being only 18, Bouaddi already has an impressive number of matches under his belt. He has made 88 appearances for Lille, with his senior debut coming in October 2023, just three days after turning 16. In the season before the current one, he helped the club secure third place in Ligue 1.
He introduced himself to the wider public back in 2024, when he played a significant role in Lille's victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League. At the World Cup, he was a regular member of the Moroccan national team, starting all five matches on their run to the round of 16. It is precisely this development path that explains why Lille is insisting on such a high fee, and City is willing to pay the requested amount.
City's experts see Bouaddi as a deep-lying playmaker, a player who should take over Rodri's role in controlling the tempo and bringing the ball out. His characteristics should complement well with Elliot Anderson, a midfielder who more often drives into the final third and closes space between the two penalty areas.
It remains uncertain how this deal might affect City's potential interest in Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea. Informed sources suggest that coach Enzo Maresca still highly values the Argentine midfielder, but the €100 million investment clearly signals that the Moroccan talent is currently the first choice to fill the void left by Rodri.
