Manchester City announced the signing of Moroccan midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi from French side Lille on August 26, 2026. The club secured the 18-year-old on a five-year deal, paying a reported £85.6 million including add-ons, equivalent to around €100 million or $117 million, making him the most expensive teenager in Premier League history [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7].
Bouaddi started his professional career with Lille in 2023, making over 90 appearances and becoming the club’s youngest-ever senior player at age 16 [1, 7]. Last season, he featured prominently, with some sources noting 30 Ligue 1 appearances [2, 3, 4]. He made his senior debut for Morocco in May 2026 and started five of the nation’s six matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, helping Morocco reach the quarter-finals [1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 6, 7].
Known for his intelligence and technical skill, Bouaddi plays as a deep-lying midfielder. Former Lille academy head of recruitment Mathieu Frison described him as “like a computer” who learns quickly. City’s director of football Hugo Viana said the club had watched Bouaddi closely and believed he was a “huge talent who will thrive at City” [9, 7]. Bouaddi himself called Manchester City “the best club in the world,” praising their style and winning mentality, saying, “This is a very special day for me and my family” [1, 8].
Bouaddi’s arrival follows a busy transfer window for City, who also signed England midfielder Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116 million. City sold midfielders Rodri to Barcelona for £65 million and Tijjani Reinders to Al-Qadsiah for £52 million. Other departures or expected exits include Bernardo Silva and Nico Gonzalez, with Newcastle reportedly paying £52 million for Gonzalez [1, 2, 3, 5, 7].
City remain interested in Chelsea’s Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez, valued at around £120 million, but no agreement has been reached so far [1, 9, 7].
Bouaddi will join Manchester City’s pre-season preparations immediately as they prepare for the upcoming 2026-27 Premier League campaign [1].
