Manchester City agree £85.6m deal for Ayyoub Bouaddi

Manchester City have struck an agreement in principle worth 100m euros (£85.6m) to sign Lille’s 18-year-old midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, underlining just how aggressively they are rebuilding the heart of their team.

Talks between the clubs accelerated this week, with BBC Sport revealing they were in advanced negotiations for the Morocco international. Those discussions have now produced a deal: Bouaddi is set to join Enzo Maresca’s side, with Lille accepting an initial £81.4m fee plus a further £4.2m in add-ons.

For an 18-year-old, those are heavyweight numbers. City clearly see him as central to their next cycle.

Midfield ripped out, midfield rebuilt

The move comes after a dramatic overhaul in City’s engine room. Rodri, the metronome of their recent success, has been sold to Barcelona in a £65m deal. Tijjani Reijnders has also departed, heading to Saudi Arabian club Al-Qadsiah for £52m.

Lose two core midfielders in one window and you either hesitate or you go big. City have chosen the latter.

Central midfield has become the priority area to reinforce, and the recruitment drive has been relentless. Bouaddi is the latest piece, but not the only one. England international Elliot Anderson has already arrived from Nottingham Forest for £116m, another major outlay on a player expected to grow into a long-term pillar of the side.

Eyes still on Enzo Fernandez

City are not done yet. They remain interested in Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez, a pursuit that would push this midfield rebuild into truly staggering financial territory. Whether Chelsea are prepared to do business, and on what terms, is still unclear.

For now, though, City have landed one of Europe’s most coveted teenage midfielders and backed Maresca with the kind of investment that demands results.

An 18-year-old from Lille, a reshaped core, and more targets in sight: City are betting heavily that a new midfield can carry them into their next era.