The race for Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi just took a sharp turn. And it’s bad news for Manchester United.
According to The Athletic, Manchester City are now pushing hard to bring the 18-year-old midfielder straight into Enzo Maresca’s first team. That’s a complete reversal from where things stood just a couple weeks ago.
On July 3, reports had City, Arsenal, and Chelsea all willing to let Bouaddi stay on loan at Lille for the 2026-27 season if it helped them win the bidding war. But now City want him in the building immediately. That shift puts them in direct competition with United, who were hoping to sign Bouaddi and then loan him back to the French club for another year.
Why This Deal Got Complicated Fast
United have already made two midfield signings this summer — Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £50 million and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa for £35 million. A third midfielder was always part of the plan, and Bouaddi was near the top of Michael Carrick’s wish list.
But City’s change of heart changes the math. They’ve identified that area of the pitch as a priority in this window, and Bouaddi’s skill set fits what Maresca wants. The kid lit up Ligue 1 last season and has been one of Morocco’s best players at the ongoing 2026 World Cup. At 18, that’s rare air.
The price tag is the biggest obstacle. Lille is reportedly looking for around €100 million — roughly £85 million or $114 million. That’s prohibitive for most clubs, but City have shown they’ll pay up when they lock onto a target.
What Bouaddi Wants Next
Nobody has confirmed what Bouaddi will decide. But The Athletic reports that a decision is expected soon, with City pushing hard ahead of that timeline.
Paris Saint-Germain football advisor Luis Campos originally brought Bouaddi to Lille in 2021, but PSG is not in the race this summer. That narrows the field to the Premier League heavyweights — City, United, and Arsenal.
Arsenal’s stance isn’t fully clear yet, but City’s aggressive pivot suggests they sense an opening. The original thinking was that City would be patient and let Bouaddi develop in France for another season. Now they want him on the plane to Manchester.
United could still match the fee and try to sell Bouaddi on the loan-back plan. But if City is willing to put him in the first team rotation immediately, that’s a hard pitch to beat for an 18-year-old who wants to prove himself at the highest level.
Either way, this one’s moving fast. And the price tag alone means it’s going to be one of the summer’s biggest transfer stories.
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