Man City close on Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi with only final detail to resolve

Manchester City are in advanced negotiations to sign Lille’s Morocco international Ayyoub Bouaddi, with only one key point left to be agreed before the transfer can be completed, according to reports in France.

The Premier League champions are understood to have made significant progress in talks with the Ligue 1 club in recent weeks and are now described as being on the verge of a full agreement for the highly rated midfielder.

Bouaddi has become one of the most sought-after players in the transfer market after a standout season with Lille and an impressive campaign with Morocco at the 2026 World Cup, where his performances are said to have pushed his valuation sharply upwards and intensified interest from several leading European clubs.

Lille president Olivier Letang has repeatedly stated that the value of his midfielder exceeds €100m, amid mounting attention from what he has described as Europe’s elite.

City see Bouaddi as potential Rodri successor

Reports claim Manchester City have moved ahead of other suitors by placing Bouaddi at the top of their shortlist to strengthen central midfield this summer.

Club officials are said to view the 20-year-old as possessing the technical and physical attributes to develop into the long-term successor to Spain international Rodri, whose name has been strongly linked with a potential move to Real Madrid in the coming period.

According to the same reports, City scouts and decision-makers have been particularly impressed by Bouaddi’s composure under pressure, tactical awareness and defensive contribution, as well as the scale of his potential at such a young age.

Head coach Enzo Maresca has reportedly given his approval for the deal to go ahead and is understood to have urged the club’s hierarchy to complete the signing as quickly as possible.

Player gives green light as loan dispute delays deal

Bouaddi has already indicated that he is willing to join Manchester City, a stance that has helped speed up discussions between the two clubs.

French outlet Foot Mercato, which specialises in transfer news, reports that City and Lille are now very close to agreeing the overall value of the deal, with most of the main financial and contractual details already settled.

However, the final sticking point concerns Bouaddi’s immediate future next season.

Lille are pushing to keep the midfielder at Stade Pierre-Mauroy for one more year on loan, believing an additional season in Ligue 1 would allow him to continue his development and gain further first-team experience before stepping into the demands of the Premier League.

Manchester City, by contrast, are said to prefer bringing the player straight into their squad this summer and registering him for the upcoming campaign, rather than sending him back out on loan.

Despite the ongoing disagreement over this issue, there is optimism on both sides that a compromise can be reached in the coming days, paving the way for an official announcement of what would be regarded as one of the standout transfers of the summer window.