Manchester City have reached an agreement with Lille to secure the signature of Moroccan teenager Ayyoub Bouaddi, with the transfer anticipated to be finalised shortly.
The Premier League champions have finalised a package worth €100million to acquire the defensive midfielder from the French club. An initial outlay of £81.4million will be followed by a potential additional £4.3million in performance-related add-ons.
Bouaddi, who celebrated his 18th birthday earlier this year, has committed to a five-year contract with the option of extending for a further 12 months, indicating City view him as a long-term fixture in their midfield plans.
Lille had been keen to retain the young player for at least another campaign but eventually agreed to part ways after receiving what sources describe as a substantial offer during this transfer period. The deal comes after City saw Rodri leave the club.
The acquisition represents another major piece of City’s midfield rebuild following the departures of both Rodri and Bernardo Silva this summer. The club had previously broken their transfer record to bring Elliot Anderson through the entrance doors.
City remain active in the market and are expected to pursue additional midfield options before the window closes. Recent weeks have seen Tijjani Reijnders move on, and the club are determined to provide manager Enzo Maresca with adequate squad depth as he takes over from Pep Guardiola.
Among the players being considered is Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez, though any potential move would require a fee exceeding £100million to tempt the west London side into selling. Roma’s Manu Kone has also emerged as a possible alternative. Club officials are understood to be working hard on deadline day to strengthen the squad ahead of the new season.