Manchester City recruit Ayoub Bouaddi as Morocco teenager takes on Arab football’s biggest price tag

Manchester City have signed Morocco midfielder Ayoub Bouaddi from Lille in a deal reported to be worth €100m, making the 18-year-old the most expensive Arab footballer in history and placing him alongside the legacy of former City great Riyad Mahrez.

City confirmed the transfer on Wednesday after the completion of the necessary formalities and international clearances. Bouaddi has signed a five-year contract and will remain with the Premier League club until 2031.

The teenager arrives at the Etihad Stadium as one of the most highly rated young players in world football. He made 96 appearances for Lille’s first team and has won eight international caps for Morocco.

Bouaddi will wear number 32 for Manchester City and is expected to provide defensive and attacking options as manager Pep Guardiola reshapes his midfield.

The club began that process by signing Elliott Anderson from Nottingham Forest. City then won the race for Bouaddi, who had attracted interest from a number of leading clubs during the summer transfer window.

The financial terms of the move were not officially disclosed. However, Agence France-Presse, citing Lille, reported that the transfer fee was €100m.

That figure takes Bouaddi past Egypt forward Omar Marmoush as the most expensive Arab player. Marmoush joined Manchester City from Eintracht Frankfurt for about €75m and had previously held the record.

The earlier mark belonged to Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi, who moved from Inter Milan to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 for €70m.

Rapid rise from Lille academy

Born in Senlis, northern France, on 2 October 2007, Bouaddi began playing football at the age of six with Creil.

Lille’s scouts quickly identified his potential and he joined the club’s academy in 2021. He progressed rapidly through the youth ranks and signed his first professional contract in August 2023, aged only 15 years and six months.

Less than two months later, on 5 October, Bouaddi made his Lille debut against Klaksvik in the Europa Conference League, just three days after turning 16. He became the youngest player to represent Lille’s first team.

Around a fortnight later, he featured against Brest in Ligue 1 and became the youngest player to appear in France’s top flight during the 21st century.

One of the defining moments of his early career came in 2024, when he played in Lille’s 1-0 victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Bouaddi subsequently established himself as an important member of Lille’s senior squad, making 96 appearances before his move to England.

From France youth teams to Morocco

His performances also brought him to the attention of France’s international coaches. Bouaddi represented France at several youth levels, progressing as far as the under-21 side and appearing to be on course for a senior call-up.

He ultimately chose to represent Morocco, the country of his parents, at senior level. Bouaddi made his debut for the Atlas Lions in May and then represented them at the 2026 World Cup.

He started five of Morocco’s six matches at the tournament as the team reached the quarter-finals, where they were eliminated by France.

Bouaddi was 18 years and 280 days old when he played in that quarter-final. That made him the second-youngest player to feature at that stage of a World Cup, behind Pele, who played in the 1958 quarter-final aged 17 years and 239 days.

Following Mahrez at Manchester City

Bouaddi becomes the latest Arab player to represent Manchester City, although the club’s previous links with players from the region have produced differing outcomes.

The most successful remains Algeria winger Riyad Mahrez, who played for City between 2018 and 2023 and helped the club win several major honours, including the Premier League and Champions League.

Marmoush is currently also at City, although reports suggest he could move to Tottenham.

Morocco’s Brahim Diaz came through City’s youth system and reached the first team, but made relatively few appearances before joining Real Madrid.

Other Arab players to have worn the Manchester City shirt include Algeria’s Ali Benarbia, Karim Kerkar, Djamel Belmadi and Djamel Abdoun, Qatar’s Hussein Yasser El-Mohammadi and Tunisia’s Hatem Trabelsi.

Bouaddi now faces the considerable task of creating his own history at City and matching the success Mahrez enjoyed in sky blue. For the moment, no Arab player has achieved more for the club than the former Algeria international.