LOSC Lille midfield prodigy Ayyoub Bouaddi is on the verge of joining Manchester City in a deal worth €100 million.
According to a report by The Guardian, Ayyoub Bouaddi has been the subject of interest from Manchester City. The Citizens have been eager to bolster their first-team squad by signing another midfielder in the ongoing transfer window, and they have had their sights set on the 18-year-old LOSC Lille wonderkid.
Per The Guardian, Manchester City will pay a base fee worth €95 million plus €5 million in add-ons. The report suggests that the teenager will undergo his medical before officially completing the big-money move in “the next few days” after agreeing to join the Premier League giants.
Ayyoub Bouaddi is the latest wonderkid from the nation of his birth to rise in prominence. The teenage prospect has spent his formative years thus far in France while already becoming a regular for LOSC Lille. The 18-year-old has raised eyebrows with his physical profile and technical ability, which enable him to reprise any role in the middle of the park.
Bouaddi has made nearly 100 appearances for Lille, chipping in with four assists. Meanwhile, the youngster has picked Morocco as his national side, and he represented the Atlas Lions in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. His progress provoked interest from several high-profile clubs, with Manchester City set to win the battle for his signature.
Manchester City wanted pursue at least one more midfielder ahead of the 2026/27 season despite signing Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest. That was because they were worried about Rodri’s long-term durability and future. The second worry proved right, as the Spanish international has joined Barcelona this summer.
Meanwhile, Nico Gonzalez’s long-term future is uncertain after struggling for regular game time in his first 18 months at the Etihad, with Newcastle United working on a deal. So, with City already losing three midfielders this summer (Rodri, Bernardo Silva, and Tijjani Reijnders), they needed to fill the vacant spots, with a move for Enzo Fernandez also in the pipeline.
Meanwhile, Bouaddi has been eager to join Manchester City for weeks, as he reached an agreement on personal terms at the start of the month. With City now ready to sign the Moroccan international in a deal worth €100 million, including add-ons, the teenager will become the most expensive teenager ever (crushing the fee Manchester United paid for Leny Yoro) once he formalises the move.
