Lille and Manchester City have come to an agreement over a transfer for Ayyoub Bouaddi to the Etihad Stadium, it is being reported.
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It is a significant development at a point in the ongoing summer transfer window when Manchester City fans on social media have been growing increasingly frustrated by a lack of signings given the number of outgoings from Enzo Maresca's squad.
The last few days have seen legendary defensive midfielder Rodri depart Manchester City after a seven seasons with the club, finalising a £65.4 million move to FC Barcelona, and Tijjani Reijnders moving to Saudi Arabia and Al Qadsiah.
The confirmed departures from the Etihad Stadium this summer have also been accompanied by interest from Newcastle United in Manchester City's January 2025 signing Nico Gonzalez, and it remains to be seen whether an agreement can be reached between the two clubs.
And as Enzo Maresca and his Manchester City side get their brand new 2026/27 Premier League season underway, matchday at the Etihad Stadium has been accompanied by a big movement in the transfer window executed by sporting director Hugo Viana.
Lille agree €100 million fee for Ayyoub Bouaddi
Now, as first reported by RMC Sport's Fabrice Hawkins, Lille and Manchester City now have a full agreement in place between Lille and Manchester City for Moroccan international, Ayyoub Bouaddi.
It is explained that the agreement between the two clubs is worth a total of €100 million including add-ons - a record-breaking transfer for Lille - with the teenager not due to play today against Angers in Ligue 1 action.
Additional reporting from The Athletic's David Ornstein confirms that the transfer will be worth a guaranteed €95 million plus a further €5 million in bonuses.
The 18-year-old talent will sign a five-year contract at the Etihad Stadium with the option of a further 12 months, according to the report.
Ayyoub Bouaddi: Man City's new big-money agreement
Ayyoub Bouaddi became Lille’s youngest-ever player - at the age of 16 years and three days - by making his debut in a UEFA Conference League match back in September 2023, completing his route to the senior team after developing within their academy system.
During the most recent 2025/26 season, the midfielder made a total of 42 appearances across all competitions as Lille qualified for the UEFA Champions League.
Bouaddi also made his international debut for Morocco back in May after transferring national team allegiances from France, where he had originally competed from Under-16 level to Under-21 level.
The 18-year-old was undoubtedly one of the standout names to have emerged on the world stage at the summer's FIFA World Cup in North America, starting five of Morocco's six matches en route to the quarter-final stage of the competition.
In the teenager's stand-out appearance against Brazil during the group stage of the competition, Ayyoub Bouaddi notably recorded more touches than any of his teammates in a 1-1 draw - further heightening his valuation as all of Europe's top clubs took note of his capabilities.