Manchester City has completed the signing of Moroccan midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille for a reported fee of £85.6 million. The 18-year-old has agreed to a five-year contract, pending international clearance. The transfer includes an upfront payment of £81.4 million, with an additional £4.2 million in potential add-ons.
This acquisition follows Manchester City's recent sales of central midfielders Rodri to Barcelona for £65 million and Tijjani Reijnders to Al-Qadsiah for £52 million. Bouaddi joins a revamped midfield, with the club also securing England midfielder Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116 million.
Bouaddi, who featured prominently in Morocco's run to the quarter-finals at the recent World Cup, becoming a key player for Lille in Ligue 1, expressed his excitement about the move. "This is a very special day for me and my family," Bouaddi stated. "Manchester City are, for me, the best club in the world. It's a dream to be here and be able to call myself a City player."
He added, "I have spent most of my life working hard to become the best player I can be and reach the top of the game. I've watched City for many years, and I love their style of play. City always try and play quality football. And they have shown they are winners - this club feels like it's built to win."
During his time at Lille, Bouaddi made 96 appearances and was part of the squad that finished third in Ligue 1 last season. He holds the record as the youngest player to debut for the French club at the age of 16, appearing against Faroese club KI in the Europa League. He also played a significant role in Lille's Champions League victory over Real Madrid in 2024.
Bouaddi operates as a deep-lying playmaker and is expected to complement Anderson, who can play as a box-to-box midfielder or in the number six role. Manchester City is also reportedly preparing an offer for Chelsea's Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernandez, who is valued at £120 million.
The transfer of Bouaddi is part of a series of recent player movements. Brazilian winger Savinho, now known as Savio, joined Tottenham earlier this week for £75 million. Spurs have also agreed to a loan deal for Manchester City's Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush. Additionally, Spanish midfielder Nico Gonzalez is set to leave Manchester City for Newcastle in a £52 million deal.