Manchester United may have been handed a golden opportunity to sign a player capable of defining the next decade of European football.
Man United should seriously consider making a decisive move for LOSC Lille sensation Ayyoub Bouaddi.
He is one of the most coveted midfielders in Europe with Arsenal, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and several other European heavyweights interested in acquiring his services.
Lille are under no immediate pressure to sell, but reports suggest a fee in the region of £60 million could open the door to negotiations.
Casemiro will leave United after his contract expires at the end of this month.
Manuel Ugarte could also move on after struggling to establish himself as a regular starter under Michael Carrick.
That leaves United searching for a new midfield leader capable of shaping the future of the team.
Bouaddi may be exactly the profile they need.
Bouaddi could be a sensational signing
The Morocco international delivered an assured display against Brazil at the World Cup.
Despite being only 18 years old, he looked completely at home competing against experienced midfielders such as Casemiro and Bruno Guimaraes.
Very few teenagers possess the confidence to dominate matches at the highest level.
Bouaddi has enjoyed a meteoric rise. He has made 96 appearances for the first team over the last three years.
The teenager combines technical brilliance with remarkable composure under pressure.
He regularly uses clever body feints, quick turns and sharp movement to escape aggressive pressing situations.
He registered a passing accuracy of almost 85% in Ligue 1 last campaign.
Despite being so young, he won 56% of his duels and made nearly six recoveries per game.
There is no guarantee that he will turn out to be a superstar. Football history is filled with wonderkids who failed to fulfil their early promise.
Reaching the top is difficult, but staying there is even harder.
However, Bouaddi possesses virtually every attribute required to succeed at the highest level.
With the right development and mentality, he has the potential to become one of the finest defensive midfielders in world football.
Having him alongside Kobbie Mainoo could solve United’s midfield issues for the next decade.
Stats from Fotmob.com