Man City bids £85m for Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi

Manchester City are preparing a significant bid for Lille's 18-year-old Moroccan midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, with the Premier League club viewing him as a key long-term investment for new manager Enzo Maresca. The potential transfer, which could reach 85 million pounds, comes as City aims to reshape its squad following a club-record 116 million pound deal for Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson.

Bouaddi's reputation soared after he started five matches for Morocco at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, helping his nation reach the quarterfinals. His performances have attracted widespread interest from top European clubs, including Arsenal, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, and Manchester United. However, City are reportedly at the forefront of the pursuit, with director of football Hugo Viana said to be an admirer of the teenager's technical ability and positional sense.

Lille are holding firm on their valuation, reportedly demanding around 100 million euros (approximately 85 million pounds) for a player under contract until 2029. A potential hurdle is that the French club would prefer to keep Bouaddi for another season, while City's intention is to integrate him into...