**Arsenal are reportedly scouting Lille FC midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi over a potential January move for the 17-year-old.**
The Gunners got back to winning ways in the Premier League with a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest at the weekend, helping them climb up to second in the table, just behind defending champions Liverpool.
New signings Martin Zubimendi and Viktor Gyokeres made a big impact, scoring against Forest, and showing that Arsenal’s recent transfer business has been a success. However, they won’t want to rest on that, and the Gunners are reportedly already scouting ahead of the January transfer window to find potential targets.
One such name reported is Lille FC midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who has been on the radar of several Premier League clubs recently. According to TeamTalk, Arsenal are scouting the 17-year-old alongside Man United, Liverpool and AC Milan.
Bouaddi plays as a central midfielder, who likes to cover defensively more often than not. He would be a great backup to Martin Zubimendi, with a potential view to becoming a regular starter for Arsenal when he develops and matures.
Last season, he made 36 appearances for Lille, providing two assists, and he is going to become more and more of a regular fixture for the French side.
How much could Bouaddi cost Arsenal?
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The 17-year-old is very highly-rated at Lille, and it would be a surprise if they didn’t want to offer him a long-term contract moving forward. His current deal is due to expire in June 2027, meaning that in the summer, Lille will either likely extend his deal or sell him, to avoid him leaving for free the following year.
His current market value is set at around £24 million, but Lille would likely demand a much higher fee for the Frenchman due to his young age and very high potential.
There is no release clause or reported fee as of yet for Lille’s asking price, however, considering the interest from a plethora of clubs, any team approaching for Bouaddi could set off a bidding war which will only drive up his price.
**Click here to see Arsenal’s current first team squad, including a profile for every player.**