Manchester City have reached a deal in principle to sign 18-year-old Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi. The transfer is valued at approximately 100 million euros, or £85.6 million. The agreement includes an initial payment of £81.4 million, supplemented by £4.2 million in potential add-ons, clearing the way for the Morocco international to finalize his move to England.
The club has prioritized strengthening its central midfield options following the departures of Rodri, who joined Barcelona for £65 million, and Tijjani Reinders, who moved to Al-Qadsiah for £52 million. This acquisition follows City’s earlier signing of England midfielder Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116 million. Despite these moves, the club remains interested in Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez, though the feasibility of that transfer is currently uncertain.
Bouaddi, who gained prominence after his standout performances for Morocco at the World Cup, is now set to join Enzo Maresca’s squad. The team is preparing for their Premier League season opener against Bournemouth this Sunday at 14:00 BST, following their recent Community Shield defeat to Arsenal. The report also notes that sport reported earlier this week that the two clubs were in advanced talks over a deal for the Morocco international to join City.
