Manchester City move into decisive stage of Ayyoub Bouaddi pursuit

Manchester City are preparing to hold a final round of talks with Lille over a deal for Morocco midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who is waiting for permission to travel to England for a medical.

The Premier League champions are understood to be close to completing one of their most significant young-player signings of the summer, with negotiations over the Lille midfielder now at an advanced stage.

Bouaddi is awaiting the final approval from his club before travelling, where he would undergo medical tests and complete the formalities of a move to Manchester City. The 16-year-old has emerged as a highly regarded midfield prospect in French football and is being lined up as a major addition to the club’s squad.

The transfer is part of a wider rebuilding and development plan led by Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca, who is seeking to strengthen the team ahead of the new season. The club have already secured a number of prominent signings, including Elliot Henderson from Nottingham Forest after strong competition from several leading Premier League clubs.

Manchester City’s interest in Bouaddi had been reported previously, with the club viewing the Morocco international as the ideal replacement for Spain captain Rodri, whose expected departure for Barcelona would leave a significant gap in midfield.

Despite his age, Bouaddi is considered capable of influencing matches through his technical ability, passing and capacity to control the tempo of play. Those qualities have made him a leading target as Manchester City look to maintain the quality and depth of their midfield options.

Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano has now provided an update on the proposed move. In a post on his official account on the social media platform X, Romano said another round of discussions had been scheduled between Manchester City and Lille, with the two clubs approaching the final stages of the negotiations.

🚨🔵⚪️ New round of talks scheduled for Ayyoub Bouaddi deal to be completed as Man City and Lille are at final stages of the negotiations.Bouaddi, only waiting for green light to travel for medical tests and join#MCFC.pic.twitter.com/r1fcv7nn4h

Romano also reported that the young Moroccan is waiting for the process to move forward and needs only the green light from Lille before travelling to England. Once the medical has been completed successfully, the remaining steps in the transfer are expected to be finalised.

The proposed agreement would see Bouaddi join the holders of the English league title as Manchester City continue to refresh their squad while preparing for the season ahead. The deal is not yet official, but the latest update indicates that the clubs are close to reaching a conclusion.

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