City move decisively after Rodri's departure: a 100 million euro deal draws closer
It is drawing closer..
Manchester City have entered advanced negotiations with French club Lille to sign the young Moroccan midfielder Ayoub Bouaddi. The English club want to wrap up the deal quickly after agreeing to let Spain's Rodri move to Barcelona.
According to the "BeSport" website, Manchester City want to complete the Bouaddi deal during the current week. Lille value their 18-year-old at around 100 million euros amid growing interest in a Moroccan talent who has established himself firmly on the European scene of late.
Bouaddi caught the eye at the last World Cup, starting 5 of the 6 matches Morocco played on their way to the quarter-finals. Despite his tender age, he proved he could handle the highest level of competition.
Experience is something the Lille man already has in the bank. He has racked up 88 matches with the French side since his first appearance in October 2023, just days after his 16th birthday, and last season he helped Lille finish third in the French league.
One of Bouaddi's most notable milestones came against Real Madrid in the Champions League in 2024, a striking performance that cemented his presence on the European stage. He then kept breaking records with his club, becoming the youngest player in Lille's history to reach 50 matches in the French league and surpassing the mark previously held by Belgium's Eden Hazard.
A natural playmaker, Bouaddi can also perform multiple roles across midfield, which makes him a fit for Manchester City's plans. That is especially true with Rodri's departure to Barcelona drawing near in a deal worth around 65 million pounds sterling on a four-year contract.
Rodri's move is expected to bring an end to his long journey with Manchester City. He played 298 matches in the club's shirt over 7 seasons since arriving from Atletico Madrid in 2019 for 62.8 million pounds sterling, winning numerous titles along the way, most notably the Champions League and the Premier League.
City's pursuit of Bouaddi comes as the club continue to monitor the situation of Argentina's Enzo Fernandez, the Chelsea player. Well-informed sources indicate that coach Enzo Maresca's interest in the player remains strong, which means the success of the Bouaddi deal could shape the English club's calculations over their other moves in midfield.
