Ayyoub Bouaddi just turned 21, and he’s already got a decision to make. Or rather, the decision might get made for him if Manchester City plays this right.
The Lille midfielder has been one of the breakout names at this World Cup, helping Morocco push into the round of 16 while looking completely comfortable next to more established stars. That kind of performance at 20 years old tends to make Europe’s biggest clubs start making calls.
According to reports, City, United, Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Liverpool have all shown interest. But it’s City who might have the edge here. Not just because of money either.
Lille wants around £70 million for Bouaddi. But there’s a catch. They’d prefer to sell him and keep him on loan for another year so he can keep developing in Ligue 1. That’s where this gets interesting.
City’s offer: Take him now, but let him stay
The Athletic is reporting that City is open to loaning Bouaddi back to Lille for a season if they can get a deal done. That would check Lille’s box while also locking down a player who might be worth even more in 12 months.
But City is also considering keeping him right away. Manager Enzo Maresca wants to strengthen his midfield and Bouaddi can play multiple roles. He’s a natural central midfielder but he’s also played right-back, which happens to be a spot City is trying to upgrade this summer.
There’s also the Rodri situation. He’s reportedly set to have surgery after the World Cup for an unspecified injury and will miss the start of next season. Mateo Kovacic and Nico Gonzalez could both leave. So suddenly City’s midfield looks thin for August and September. That might push them to keep Bouaddi from day one.
They’ve already got a deal for Elliot Anderson wrapped up. But they want another body in the middle.
United’s interest is real but complicated
United has been tracking Bouaddi for a while now. They need midfield help just as badly as City does, maybe more. But they haven’t shown the same willingness to play Lille’s game with the loan-back clause. And if City is willing to do that, it might be enough to push the deal their way.
There’s also the Sandro Tonali factor. City has eyes on the Newcastle midfielder too, but Tottenham is pushing hard for him. So Bouaddi might be the more realistic target.
For now, it looks like City has to decide: do they want Bouaddi right now, or are they willing to wait a year to get him? Lille is fine either way. They just want the check to clear first.
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