Manchester City are close to completing the signing of Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille. The Premier League club have made the 18-year-old midfielder a top priority as they look to strengthen their midfield options.
Impressed by Bouaddi’s potential, City have stepped up talks with Lille in recent weeks and are now close to reaching an agreement.
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Bouaddi has previously held talks with Liverpool and Arsenal, while Chelsea have also monitored his progress. The defensive midfielder is viewed as a long-term target for Man City.
According to Foot Mercato, negotiations have entered the final stages, with both clubs working towards completing the deal. City are increasingly confident that the transfer will be finalised.
Lille have accepted that keeping their highly rated academy graduate will be difficult. Bouaddi has emerged as one of Europe’s brightest young midfield talents, attracting interest from several top clubs.
However, Manchester City have moved ahead of their rivals and identified the Morocca international as a key target, especially with uncertainty surrounding Rodri’s future.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the transfer is expected to be completed soon. The final details are being discussed between all parties, but everything is now in place for Ayyoub Bouaddi to join Manchester City.
Ligue 1 side Lille will then look to reinvest the expected €100million from the deal as they search for a replacement in midfield.
Man City have rejected Barcelona’s opening £38.5m offer for Rodri. City are open to selling the midfielder but would demand more than £60m.
The 30-year-old is entering the final year of his contract at the Etihad and is yet to agree a new deal, fuelling speculation over his future.
Rodri missed a large part of the 2024-25 season after suffering a serious knee injury, while his following campaign was also affected by a hamstring problem.
However, the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner returned to his best at the summer World Cup, guiding Spain to the title and being named the tournament’s best player.
Rodri is currently sidelined after undergoing back surgery last month but is expected to rejoin his Manchester City teammates early next week. With the transfer window entering its final weeks, City will look to resolve Rodri’s future quickly.