Ayyoub Bouaddi joins Manchester City in record-breaking £85.6 million transfer from Lille
Morocco midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi has transferred to Manchester City from Lille in a five-year deal valued at 100 million euros £85.6 million. This move makes Bouaddi the most expensive teenager in Premier League history, surpassing Manchester United's £58.9 million acquisition of Leny Yoro in 2024, also from Lille. Manchester City pursued Bouaddi after the departures of Rodri to Barcelona and Tijjani Reijnders to Al-Qadsiah, with Nico Gonzalez also expected to leave. The 18-year-old was a key player for Morocco, helping them reach the World Cup quarter-finals. Bouaddi will join England's Elliot Anderson, who moved to City from Nottingham Forest for £116 million in June, in a revamped midfield. Bouaddi made 96 appearances for Lille, having joined their first team at 16. He expressed his excitement, stating, "Manchester City are, for me, the best club in the world. It’s a dream to be here and be able to call myself a City player." He added that he believes City is the best place for him to improve and that he will give everything to challenge for every title. City's director of football, Hugo Viana, commented that the club has closely monitored Bouaddi and is convinced he is a significant talent who will succeed at City. Enzo Maresca, who replaced Pep Guardiola as City manager, prioritized central midfield for new signings. City recently defeated Bournemouth 2-1 in their Premier League season opener, following a 3-0 loss to Arsenal in the Community Shield.
