Manchester City have struck a deal to sign Morocco international midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille, with the transfer fee reaching up to £86m (€100m). City will pay a fixed fee of £81.3m, with a further £4.3m in potential add-ons.

At 18 years old, Bouaddi is set to become the most expensive teenage signing in Premier League history. The fee surpasses the £58.9m Manchester United paid Lille for Leny Yoro in 2024, breaking a record that had stood for just two years.

A World Cup star arrives at the Etihad

Bouaddi's stock rose sharply during this summer's FIFA World Cup 2026, where he was one of Morocco's standout performers. Lille had held firm on their valuation throughout negotiations, and City ultimately met their asking price.

The versatile midfielder can operate in a defensive role or push further forward, offering manager Pep Guardiola a range of options in the centre of the park.

Rebuilding a depleted midfield

The signing is part of a broader effort by City to reconstruct a midfield that has been significantly weakened. Rodri, Bernardo Silva, and Tijjani Reijnders have all departed, leaving a void that the club are working urgently to fill.

Bouaddi's arrival follows City's £116m capture of Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest earlier in the transfer window — itself a club record at the time. The back-to-back landmark deals underline City's ambition to remain competitive at the highest level.

City are also reportedly tracking Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez and Roma's Manu Kone as further midfield reinforcements, while the future of Newcastle United target Nico Gonzalez at the club remains uncertain.