Manchester City Signs Ayyoub Bouaddi for €100m

Manchester City have reached an agreement in principle with Lille to sign 18-year-old midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi in a deal worth around 100m euros (£86m).

The move, first flagged earlier in the week when the clubs entered advanced talks, now has a framework in place for the Morocco international to join Enzo Maresca’s squad. Only the final formalities stand between Bouaddi and a switch to the Premier League champions.

For City, this is a statement investment in the heart of their team. Having sold midfield pillars Rodri and Tijani Reijnders, the club have turned central midfield into a priority zone, and they are paying a premium to secure one of Europe’s most highly regarded young talents.

Bouaddi’s transfer will mark a significant step up from Ligue 1 to English football, but City see him as a long-term piece in Maresca’s evolving structure rather than a short-term fix.

City’s midfield rebuild is not finished there. They remain keen on Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez, whose situation continues to be monitored closely. Whether they can prise the World Cup winner away is another battle entirely – and one that could define the final shape of Maresca’s first City side.