Manchester City has sealed a €95 million transfer for 18‑year‑old Moroccan midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, with an additional €5 million in potential add‑ons, tying him to the club through 2031 and including an option for a further year.
Bouaddi burst onto the international stage at the 2026 World Cup, where his performances helped Morocco reach the quarterfinals and earned him a starting role in five of the team’s six matches, including a standout display against Brazil that saw him register more touches than any teammate.
The youngster first made headlines at Lille, where at just 16 years and three days he became the club’s youngest ever debutant in a 2023 Conference League fixture, and in the 2025‑26 season he appeared in 42 games across all competitions, contributing an assist as Lille finished third in Ligue 1 and secured Champions League qualification.
A midfield reshaped
The move follows the departures of Rodri and Bernardo Silva, both of whom left the Etihad Stadium in high‑profile exits, and the recent arrival of Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest in a £116 million ($153 million) deal. Meanwhile, Newcastle United are reportedly in talks to poach Nico Gonzalez, adding further intrigue to the club’s midfield overhaul.
The transfer was facilitated by Luis Carlos, who previously served as a football advisor at Paris Saint‑Germain before bringing Bouaddi to Lille in 2021, underscoring the network of talent scouts that now links the Moroccan prodigy to Manchester.