Manchester City have reportedly reached an agreement with Lille for the signing of highly rated midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi.
The move comes after Liverpool were previously linked with the 18-year-old earlier in the summer. Several clubs were believed to be monitoring Bouaddi following his impressive performances for Morocco at this year’s World Cup.
City are now set to complete a €100 million ($116.9m) deal for the teenager. The Premier League champions will initially pay €95m ($111m), with another €5m ($5.9m) potentially due in add-ons, as they look to strengthen their midfield following Rodri’s departure.
Lille had hoped to keep Bouaddi for another season and initially demanded a significant fee before eventually agreeing to his sale this summer.
Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira was full of praise for the youngster during the World Cup, describing him as an 18-year-old who plays with the maturity of a much older midfielder.
Vieira highlighted Bouaddi’s tactical intelligence, positioning, technical quality and personality, while also identifying him as the standout talent in Morocco’s midfield.
With Elliot Anderson already arriving for a club-record £116m ($158.2m), Bouaddi is expected to become another key part of City’s midfield rebuild following the departures of Rodri and Bernardo Silva.
The teenager is set to sign a five-year contract with an option for an additional year, highlighting City’s belief that he can become an important player for the club in the years ahead.
City are still looking to add at least one more midfielder before the transfer window shuts. Tijjani Reijnders has left the club, and the Blues are determined to replace their outgoing midfielders while providing Enzo Maresca with the squad he needs to handle the huge task of succeeding Pep Guardiola.
Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez remains on City’s radar, although Chelsea are reportedly unwilling to consider offers below $130m.
Roma’s Manu Kone is another option being explored, with City continuing their efforts to complete further business before the transfer deadline.
