Why Manchester City is pushing for Ayyoub Bouaddi
Manchester City is aggressively pursuing 18-year-old LOSC Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who impressed at the 2026 World Cup with Morocco. City's management believes Bouaddi already possesses key qualities for the highest level, including composure, tactical intelligence, ball control, and defensive work rate. His profile as a modern defensive midfielder with excellent dribbling and recovery stats appeals to City, especially with Rodri's future uncertain. The club sees him as an ideal candidate to carry on Pep Guardiola's legacy under new manager Enzo Maresca. While Bouaddi's weaknesses include risk management, progressive passing accuracy, and offensive output (0 goals, 1 assist last season), City believes these can be quickly corrected by their coaching staff. Lille president Olivier Létang has publicly valued the player at over €100 million, but that has not deterred City's pursuit.
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