Lille: Ayyoub Bouaddi nears stunning €100m Manchester City transfer

Ayyoub Bouaddi is reportedly close to completing a move from Lille to Manchester City in a deal that could be worth almost €100m, potentially making the Morocco international the most expensive player from his country.

Negotiations between Manchester City and the midfielder’s representatives are said to have reached their final stages, according to Fabrizio Romano, with an agreement potentially imminent.

The proposed transfer would represent a remarkable development for the 18-year-old, who has established himself as an important member of Lille’s team despite his age.

Bouaddi’s Manchester City move gathers pace

Talks over Bouaddi’s future have accelerated, with Manchester City reportedly pushing to complete an agreement for the young midfielder.

The latest developments have also raised questions over his immediate future at Lille.

Bouaddi, who has regularly featured in Lille’s starting XI, was notably absent from the squad for Saturday’s friendly against Everton.

His omission has added to speculation that a move could be nearing completion.

Should the transfer go through, Manchester City are reportedly not planning to send the midfielder back to Lille on loan.

Instead, the English club want Bouaddi to join them immediately, meaning a temporary return to the French side would no longer be part of the plans.

A potential Moroccan transfer record

The financial terms being discussed could make the proposed move particularly significant.

A fee approaching €100m has reportedly been placed on the table for Bouaddi.

If completed at that level, the transfer would comfortably surpass the existing record for a Moroccan player.

That record currently belongs to Achraf Hakimi, who moved to Paris for €68m in 2021.

Bouaddi’s potential transfer would therefore represent a dramatic rise in the value of Moroccan players on the international market.

The midfielder is only 18, yet his performances for Lille have already placed him in a position to command one of the biggest fees ever paid for a teenager.

Bouaddi could make transfer history

The scale of the proposed deal would be significant not only for Morocco but also for the player himself.

Bouaddi could become the most expensive Moroccan footballer in history if Manchester City’s reported offer is completed.

The fee would also put him among the most expensive teenage players ever transferred.

His age makes the reported figure even more striking.

Despite being only 18, Bouaddi has become a regular presence in Lille’s starting line-up and is now at the centre of negotiations involving one of Europe’s biggest clubs.

For Lille, the potential departure would mean losing a highly valued young midfielder.

For Manchester City, the reported move would represent a major investment in a player who is still at an early stage of his career.

The discussions are now understood to be approaching their conclusion.

No return to Lille expected

One of the key developments in the negotiations is Manchester City’s reported desire to have Bouaddi join immediately.

A loan arrangement that would allow him to remain at Lille is said to be off the table.

That means the French club could lose the midfielder permanently if the final stages of the agreement are completed.

For now, the transfer remains dependent on the conclusion of negotiations, but the situation appears to be moving quickly.

Bouaddi’s absence against Everton has added further attention to the developments, while reports of a fee close to €100m have transformed the story into one of the most significant potential transfers involving a Moroccan player.

If completed, the move would take Bouaddi past Hakimi’s €68m transfer and establish a new benchmark for Moroccan footballers.

At 18, he could also enter the record books as one of the most expensive teenagers in football history.