Andoni Iraola has built quite the reputation for developing young players, and the new Liverpool may have just seen his next project after an outstanding World Cup performance
04:00, 15 Jun 2026
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JUNE 04: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Andoni Iraola new manager of Liverpool Football Club at Anfield on June 04, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Andoni Iraola may have just seen his perfect next transfer project(Image: Getty Images)
As bad an idea as it is to make transfer decisions based off one game at the World Cup, anyone watching Brazil vs Morocco wouldn’t have been able to help themselves get excited about Ayyoud Bouaddi.
Coming up against such big names like Vinicius Junior, Raphinha, Gabriel and Liverpool’s own Alisson Becker, the 18-year-old never looked out of place. In fact, he absolutely belonged on that huge stage.
Bouaddi produced a display against the five-time world champions that belied his young age. He showed up the experienced Casemiro and Bruno Guimaraes as Brazil was lucky to come away with a point, with Morocco proving that semi-final finish four years ago was not a fluke.
And Bouaddi, making just his fourth appearance for his country, was at the heart of what was such an impressive display. The teenager showed the sort of drive and composure in the middle of the park that the increasingly agitated Brazil fans were crying out for from their own players - and Liverpool fans would no doubt have been looking on a little enviously.
Those same supporters then may be getting a little more excited after hearing reports that the Reds have been in talks with Bouaddi’s agent. According to Fabrizio Romano, contact has been made by Liverpool, Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain, with the Lille midfielder said to have been watched for some time.
It’s no secret that the Reds need to add some legs to its engine room this summer, and although Bouaddi’s age might raise some eyebrows, it speaks volumes of his talent that there was no hesitation to throw him straight in for one of the biggest tests you can face on the international stage.
Morocco's midfielder #06 Ayyoub Bouaddi and Brazil's forward #07 Vinicius Junior fight for the ball during the 2026 World Cup Group C football match between Brazil and Morocco at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 13, 2026. (Photo by Mauro PIMENTEL / AFP via Getty Images)
Ayyoub Bouaddi didn't look out of place against big stars like Vinicius Junior(Image: Getty Images)
"It was not a risk to play him just because he's 18," Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi said after Saturday’s game.
"I only look at players' performance, not the age of the player. He could be 35, and if he plays well, he'll play, or 17.
"I'm not the guy to be afraid of playing youngsters, we were sure and certain that he'd have a big match, and so it wasn't a risk at all - it wasn't the kind of match for taking risks against Brazil.
"Maybe it's because he's a new player that everyone's got so excited, it was his first match at international level, an important match at his young age, but he's not short of experience."
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Another man who has shown he’s not afraid to throw youngsters in at the deep end is new Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola.
The Spaniard has built up a reputation for developing young players on what is considered to be one of the toughest stages of all in the Premier League. Dean Huijsen, Alex Scott, Eli Junior Kroupi and Rayan are just some of the names now being touted for big money transfers, or already plying their trade for the world’s biggest club in the case of Huijsen.
Liverpool fans will rightly be excited about what that could mean for someone like Rio Ngumoha now, but Iraola may have just seen his next project in Bouaddi.
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Reports are suggesting that Lille could demand up to $81 million - a figure that may well go up if he continues to impress at the World Cup. It may still be too early to judge him, but the chance for Iraola to work with Bouaddi sounds like a very tantalizing prospect for Liverpool.