Man City agree £86m deal for teen midfielder Bouaddi

Manchester City have reached an agreement with Lille to sign 18-year-old midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi in a deal worth around £86 million. BBC Sport previously reported that the two clubs were nearing a deal for the Moroccan international. The agreement includes a £81.4 million initial fee, with additional £4.2 million in add-ons. Lille is accepting the offer, and Bouaddi is set to complete his move to England.

City's interest in central midfield strengthening is evident, as they recently sold Rodri to Barcelona for £65 million and Tijjani Reinders to Al-Qadsiah for £52 million. The Premier League champions have also signed England's Elliot Anderson for £116 million from Nottingham Forest. While City are still interested in Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez, it remains uncertain whether a deal can be reached.

Bouaddi, who started in all five of Morocco's matches during their World Cup run to the quarter-finals, has gained attention after his impressive performance at the tournament. He was also instrumental in Lille's Champions League victory over Real Madrid in 2024. The 18-year-old midfielder has played 88 times for Lille since his debut in October 2023, three days after his 16th birthday.

He helped Lille finish third in Ligue 1 last season and became the youngest footballer to play for the club when he made his senior debut against KI just days after turning 16 in 2023.