A 19-Year-Old Just Became Soccer’s Most Expensive Midfielder. Here’s Who Could Be Next.

The summer transfer window hasn’t even slammed shut yet and the market for central midfielders is already broken. We’re past the point of reasonable prices. The question now isn’t whether someone will pay nine figures for a guy who plays in the middle of the pitch. It’s which one, and for how much.

Ayyoub Bouaddi just made it real. The 19-year-old Moroccan midfielder, who chose his national team over France and then watched Spain rip through the French midfield in the World Cup semifinals, is about to become the next £100 million player. Manchester City are pushing hardest, according to David Ornstein. Liverpool might get involved if someone leaves. Manchester United would love to do it. Arsenal, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, PSG and Real Madrid are all lurking. Lille is about to hold an auction and the winner will pay close to nine figures. There’s talk of a loan-back clause to keep Bouaddi in Ligue 1 for another year, but at that price point, most clubs will want their investment playing right away.

Then there’s Bruno Guimarães. Newcastle’s captain has two years left on his deal and over five years of Premier League experience. He’s 28 now, which means this summer is probably the last chance for a top club to get peak Bruno without paying a premium for a player entering his 30s. Arsenal are the obvious suitor — they’re desperate for midfield depth and have spent the summer watching their injury list grow instead of their squad. Newcastle don’t want to sell, but the Saudi project has limits and a captain with two years left is an asset they might cash in on. The price won’t be cheap. It never is with Newcastle.

Alex Scott is the one who might actually move for less than £100 million but feel like he should cost more. Bournemouth polished him, platformed him, and now the big clubs are circling. Another year on the south coast wouldn’t hurt. He needs European football and an England call-up, both of which feel inevitable. Manchester United have been linked at around £80 million. But smarter money might be on figuring out who Bournemouth scouts next and just buying that guy directly.

Adam Wharton is the wild card. Crystal Palace’s valuation of £100 million sounds insane until you watch him play. The range and weight of his passing is elite. His ball-winning is excellent. He can do a backflip that would make an Olympic gymnast jealous. Real Madrid are sniffing around, which means the conversation has already shifted from “is he worth it?” to “how much are they going to pay?” Palace fans are about to spend the next few weeks explaining that the valuation isn’t a negotiation tactic. It’s a reflection of how little they want to sell him. Whether that matters to Real Madrid is a different question.

The midfield market is broken. It’s been broken for a while. But this summer feels different. The prices are already set. The only question left is who blinks first.