Morocco-France central midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi of Lille is being linked with a move to Manchester City, with the Premier League champions reported to be tracking the 18-year-old’s situation in Ligue 1.
The Senlis-born midfielder, who stands at 1.85m and wears the number 32 shirt for LOSC, is listed with a market value of €50.00m, according to Transfermarkt, placing him among the most highly rated teenagers in European football. The rumoured switch from Lille to Man City has been logged with an unclear probability rating of “?”, underlining that talks – if any – are still at an exploratory stage.
Bouaddi, who holds both Moroccan and French nationality, is primarily a central midfielder and plays off his right foot. He is regarded as part of Lille’s emerging core, having been integrated into the first-team squad while still a teenager. His current deal has not been publicly detailed, with no contract expiry date listed, a situation that has fuelled speculation that City and other leading clubs could test Lille’s resolve or even monitor any future scenario in which he might edge towards free-agent status should negotiations stall.
Recent performances for Lille in Ligue 1 have further underlined his potential. In his latest outing – a tight league fixture against domestic opposition earlier this month, which Lille edged by a single goal – Bouaddi started in central midfield, maintaining his positional discipline and contributing to Lille’s control in possession as they saw out a narrow win. His ability to anchor passages of play at just 18 will not have gone unnoticed by City’s recruitment department.
With his dual-national profile, top-flight experience in France and a rapidly climbing valuation, any move to the Etihad, if it materialises, would represent a major step in Bouaddi’s career and could shape his reputation as one of the standout midfield prospects of his generation.
