Manchester City have reached an agreement in principle with Lille to sign highly rated Morocco international Ayyoub Bouaddi in a deal worth up to £85.6 million.
The 18-year-old midfielder is expected to complete his move to the Premier League champions after Lille accepted an initial fee of £81.4 million, with a further £4.2 million potentially payable in add-ons.
Bouaddi had emerged as one of Europe’s most sought-after young midfielders after impressing for Morocco at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he started five of the team’s six matches during their run to the quarter-finals.
His performances have now paved the way for a move to Manchester City, who have identified central midfield as a key area for reinforcement following the departures of Rodri to Barcelona for £65 million and Tijjani Reijnders to Saudi Arabian side Al-Qadsiah for £52 million.
City have already spent heavily in midfield this summer, completing the signing of England international Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116 million.
The club also remain interested in Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez, although it is unclear whether they will be able to reach an agreement for the Argentine.
Bouaddi made his senior debut for Lille in October 2023, just days after celebrating his 16th birthday, becoming the youngest player to represent the French club at senior level.
Since then, he has made 88 appearances for Lille and played a significant role in their third-place finish in Ligue 1 last season.
His breakthrough on the European stage came when he helped Lille defeat Real Madrid in the Champions League on his 17th birthday, earning widespread praise for his mature performance.
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The teenager later surpassed a record previously held by Eden Hazard by reaching 50 Ligue 1 appearances at the age of 18.
Bouaddi operates primarily as a deep-lying midfielder, where his passing ability, composure and tactical intelligence have attracted interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
At Manchester City, he is expected to complement Anderson, who can operate both as a box-to-box midfielder and in a deeper No. 6 role.
The proposed transfer represents another major investment by City in young midfield talent as the club reshapes its squad ahead of the new Premier League campaign.
