Manchester City Set to Sign Bouaddi as Rodri Replacement

Liverpool’s summer rebuild is gathering pace, but one of the more intriguing midfield options on the market is slipping from their grasp — and straight into the hands of a Premier League rival.

City move as Rodri replacement triggers domino effect

Rodri’s move to Barcelona has jolted the window at the very top end of the game. Manchester City, suddenly without the heartbeat of their midfield, have moved quickly, and Liverpool look like collateral damage.

Ayyoub Bouaddi, the 18-year-old who turned heads with his performances for Morocco at the World Cup, had been monitored by Liverpool as a potential long-term option in the middle of the park. Instead, according to Fabrizio Romano, he is now closing in on a switch to Manchester City in the coming days.

Personal terms are already in place. The only piece still to be finalized is the agreement between City and Lille, with reports suggesting the fee could soar well beyond $100 million.

Earlier suggestions that Lille wanted Bouaddi back on loan for a season have faded. Romano now reports that City intend to bring him in immediately, folding him straight into Enzo Maresca’s squad, which has already been strengthened by the $157 million signing of Elliot Anderson.

For Liverpool, that’s one less name on an already-shortlist of elite young midfielders.

Liverpool’s window: defence and wings first

This isn’t a window defined by panic at Anfield. Andoni Iraola has been clear about priorities. The backline needed attention, and it has got it.

Jeremy Jacquet and Ronald Araujo have both arrived, each seeking more minutes and a bigger role than they enjoyed at their previous clubs. Both signings point to a Liverpool defence being rebuilt with youth, aggression and room to grow.

Up front, the focus has been on refreshing the wide areas. Victor Munoz is already through the door, and Liverpool’s interest remains alive in PSG pair Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye, both capable of operating on either flank.

The plan is simple: secure the wide forwards, lock in the defensive upgrades, then turn to the middle of the pitch.

Midfield: well-stocked, but in motion

On paper, Iraola’s midfield is not crying out for emergency surgery. The central options are deep and varied. But they are not static.

Curtis Jones is expected to leave, a move that would open up minutes and alter the balance of the unit. Alexis Mac Allister’s contract situation also lingers in the background, adding a note of uncertainty to an area that otherwise looks stable.

That mix of security and potential change is why players like Bouaddi have been tracked rather than chased at all costs. Liverpool could afford to be patient. City, after Rodri’s departure, could not.

So when Bouaddi edged towards the Etihad, it removed a possible future solution for Liverpool rather than a present necessity.

Young core gives Liverpool breathing space

Trey Nyoni’s emergence has changed the picture again. His breakthrough last season, backed up by an eye-catching preseason, has pushed him into genuine contention for a long-term role at the heart of Iraola’s side.

Around him, Liverpool have already locked in serious talent. Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Florian Wirtz are all tied down on long-term deals, forming the spine of a midfield that can, in theory, carry the club for years.

That is why missing out on Bouaddi stings more from a competitive standpoint — losing a target to Manchester City — than from a structural one. The engine room is not a fire to put out. It is a department being quietly shaped for the future.

The real test may come next summer. If Mac Allister moves into the final year of his contract, the conversation around midfield recruitment will sharpen, the tone will change, and Liverpool may have to move with the kind of urgency City showed over Bouaddi.

By then, though, the Moroccan prodigy will almost certainly be wearing sky blue, not red.