Chelsea are ‘pulling out all the stops’ to sign Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who has been linked with Arsenal, according to Media Foot.
The 18-year-old recently changed his international allegiance from France to Morocco and made his World Cup debut against Brazil last week.
Bouaddi delivered a fine performance. He won an impressive nine duels, while making six recoveries. He had a pass completion rate of 91 percent.
Arsenal have already held talks with Bouaddi’s representatives. It has been claimed that Lille could hold out for £60 million for a summer transfer.
Media Foot now reveal that Chelsea are also ‘very keen’ on the youngster. The Blues are prepared to do whatever it takes to convince the midfielder.
Arsenal could have an edge over Chelsea in Bouaddi’s pursuit
Bouaddi was on the Gunners’ radar prior to the 2026 winter transfer window, but he ended up penning a new long-term deal with Lille at the turn of the year.
Despite this, Bouaddi could be on the move this summer. Lille are back in the Champions League, but are still open to sanctioning his sale for the right figure.
Arsenal have already opened talks with his entourage, and it has been claimed that the midfielder has ‘indicated his interest in the prospect of a transfer‘.
Chelsea have joined the pursuit, but the Blues are no longer a lucrative destination given their disappointing Premier League campaigns in recent years.
The club finished a lowly 10th in the top-flight last term and won’t play any European football.
Bouaddi may not want to sacrifice Champions League football at Lille for a season without Europe. On top of this, he may want assured minutes from the first XI.
At Arsenal, he could get sufficient playing time as a starter alongside Declan Rice in the league.
The same can’t be said for Chelsea. Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez are pretty much guaranteed starters in the heart of the midfield for the west London side.
Arsenal’s potential worry could be the interest from Paris Saint-Germain, given that they are Bouaddi’s childhood club. A midfielder does not appear to be a priority for the European champions, and an exit may be required to free up space and wages for Bouaddi’s services.
Mikel Arteta’s side have an upper hand and should be proactive to secure an early deal. If Bouaddi continues to star at the World Cup, there could be increasing interest from other elite clubs.