Manchester City are determined to acquire Lille’s 18-year-old midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi in a deal worth €100m (£85m).
The teenager has drawn widespread attention after his displays for Morocco at the World Cup, and although the price tag appears steep for a player of his age, City regard him as a prospect for the years ahead.
Hugo Viana, the club’s director of football, holds Bouaddi’s technical skills and reading of the game in high regard, and there are few doubts about the 6ft 1in player’s capacity to handle the physical demands of Premier League football. Enzo Maresca intends to bring Bouaddi into the first-team setup for the upcoming campaign.
Bouaddi featured in five of Morocco’s six matches at the World Cup, including their 2-0 quarter-final loss to France. That tournament marked just his eighth cap, with his senior debut having come for Lille against Ki in a Europa Conference group fixture in October 2023. Aged 16 years and three days at the time, he became the youngest footballer ever to appear in the competition.
Securing Bouaddi would push City’s summer outlay to £200m across two players, following the £116m arrival of Elliott Anderson from Nottingham Forest.
In other news, Manchester United have announced the capture of 35-year-old goalkeeper Karl Darlow, pending the completion of registration formalities.
Darlow has signed a two-year contract after departing Leeds last month and will challenge Senne Lammens for a place in the side. “Putting on this shirt is an immense source of pride for me — this is a truly remarkable moment,” he said. “Anyone can see the direction this club is heading, and I am eager to contribute by backing up my team-mates and helping propel the group forward.”
Jason Wilcox, United’s director of football, stated: “Karl has demonstrated he can deliver at the very top level. His dedication and resolute character make him a valuable reinforcement for our squad. Bringing in a player of his calibre is something we are very pleased about.”
Darlow has totalled 279 appearances in his career, with 74 of those coming in the Premier League.
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