Liverpool are believed to be in talks with highly-rated Morocco and Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, with two of their biggest Premier League rivals also in the mix.
The 18-year-old has enjoyed an impressive 2026 World Cup campaign with Morocco, starting four matches to date and expecting to feature prominently against France in the quarter-finals on Thursday.
Bouaddi has been linked with a summer move to Liverpool of late, with some of the biggest clubs in Europe eyeing up, and reports have claimed that a “big” offer could be accepted by Lille.
Now, Football Insider are saying that the Reds are “in talks” to snap up the teen sensation, with City and Arsenal in the same position currently.
It is described as an “open race” to acquire Bouaddi’s signature, in what will be a major coup for whoever potentially ends up signing him ahead of next season.
Liverpool must give their all in Ayyoub Bouaddi race
It may simply be that Bouaddi ends up joining a different club to Liverpool, but they have to look at him as a leading midfield option, pushing hard to bring him in.
The Moroccan looks like a special talent, already being a key man for his country at just 18, with journalist Amine El Amri lauding his qualities as both a player and a person:
“Everybody loves Bouaddi in Morocco. Not just because he is such a good player but off the field he is – as we say – the perfect son in law. He gained his high school diploma in mathematics and physics which shows the intelligence and IQ of this player. He has got what it takes to be not only be a fantastic player but a very good human being too and people in Morocco identify with that.”
Bouaddi is a complete midfielder, covering ground impressively, possessing great technical ability and having a maturity way beyond his years – he has a 90.5% pass completion rate at the World Cup – and it is no surprise to see such a big battle to sign him this summer.
There are plenty of alternatives for Liverpool if he doesn’t end up at Anfield, from Adam Wharton to Lamine Camara, but he needs to be looked at very closely.