Arsenal and Liverpool’s prospects of signing Ayyoub Bouaddi have become significantly harder after Lille’s president used two recent Premier League deals to demand an eye-popping new fee, while TEAMtalk can reveal how two more English sides are ready to agree a shock request to grease the wheels of a deal.
The 18-year-old midfielder is one of the stories of this World Cup, having ditched allegiances to France, the country of his birth, to represent Morocco at international level, where he has now won seven caps.
Having helped the North African nation through to the quarter-finals, where they next face, yep, France, all eyes will be on Bouaddi to see how he handles himself against the likes of Aurelien Tchouameni and Adrien Rabiot.
His performances for Lille, where he has already made 96 appearances, have already drawn admiring glances from the European elite, and we have previously confirmed that Arsenal are very much desperate to bring him to Emirates Stadium at the express wish of Mikel Arteta.
However, competition already exists from long-term suitors PSG, while Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City have also recently registered their interest too.
In the wake of the growing competition, together with the rising cost of elite midfielder deals, no-nonsense Lille president Olivier Letang is ready to push the price of Bouaddi up to £100m – citing the examples of Elliot Anderson to Manchester City and Sandro Tonali to Tottenham Hotspur.
Asked by Eurosport about those two respective deals and if Bouaddi’s price will rise, Lentang stated: “How to answer that question? Have I spoken, brought up the subject, given a figure? No, never.
“You have to look at his level. How much have players like Anderson or Tonali been sold for who are much older, but without room for improvement?
“So you have an idea of the value of Ayyoub, who has a unique profile at only 18 years old.”
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TEAMtalk recently revealed that Arsenal, Liverpool and Real Madrid had all launched fresh enquiries for Bouaddi in recent days, with Fabrizio Romano later backing up that report.
Whether a deal is struck this summer, Letang knows the player’s big-game experience at the highest level will likely only drive his price in one direction.
“Ayyoub made his international debut in the Morocco-Brazil match,” Letang continued. “That’s not nothing.
“On the other hand, despite being 18, Ayyoub is a boy who has already played matches at a very high level. He’s played in Ligue 1, played in Champions League campaigns, the Europa League, [and] the Europa Conference.
“He’s the youngest player to have played in a European Cup match. He’s very young but already has significant experience. In those three years with us, he’s been extraordinary in many ways.
“Many clubs are interested in him, but very few can afford him right now. He’s already one of the best midfielders in the world and still has significant room for improvement.”
Despite the demands being higher than ever for the teenager, TEAMtalk exclusively revealed last week that Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City had all said yes to a specific demand in any transfer arrangement for Bouaddi.
And as part of that deal, the Prem trio are all understood to have agreed to let the player remain on loan with Lille for the duration of the 2026/27 season before welcoming him to their squads next year, in July 2027.
Such a move could prove a game-changer, though it remains to be seen if Lille’s new fee demands throws them off the scent.
In other eye-catching Liverpool news, Everton have reached a decision on signing Reds legend Mo Salah, with David Moyes’ thoughts on a sensational deal now coming to light.
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