At 18, Ayyoub Bouaddi is set to become the most expensive Moroccan player in history

The agreement provides for 95 million euros guaranteed, with a further five million euros potentially payable in bonuses, reports The Guardian. Lille excused Ayyoub Bouaddi from the Ligue 1 match against Angers to allow him to undergo his medical with Manchester City. The transfer is expected to be officially announced in the coming days.

If the deal is finalized under the agreed conditions, the young midfielder will become by far the most expensive Moroccan player in history. Until now, no Lions of the Atlas international had been involved in a transfer of such magnitude.

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Manchester City had been following Bouaddi for several months, as had Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Arsenal. The English club ultimately agreed to come closer to Lille’s financial demands in order to beat its competitors.

The amount also reflects the change in stature the player experienced during the World Cup. A starter in five of Morocco’s six matches, Bouaddi particularly impressed in the match against Brazil. He then helped the Lions of the Atlas reach the quarter-finals, despite having limited international experience, with just eight caps.

His progress accelerated after his definitive decision to represent Morocco. By the end of the World Cup, his market value had already reached 80 million euros, the same as Achraf Hakimi’s.

Manchester City prepares for life after Rodri

Bouaddi’s recruitment comes after Rodri’s transfer to FC Barcelona for around 65 million pounds sterling. That sale is expected to finance a large part of the deal concluded with Lille.

Manchester City has also spent 116 million pounds to sign Elliot Anderson. Both players can operate in front of the defense or in a box-to-box midfield role. Bouaddi therefore should not be guaranteed an immediate place in Enzo Maresca’s starting eleven, even though the amount invested reflects the position the club intends to give him in the medium term.

Primarily used as a number 6, the Moroccan is considered one of the most promising midfielders of his generation. He made his Lille debut in October 2023, at just 16 years and three days old, becoming the youngest player to appear in a Conference League match.

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Only the medical examination and the signing of the documents now remain to complete the deal. Once the transfer is officially announced, Ayyoub Bouaddi will go from being the Moroccan revelation of the World Cup to the most expensive Moroccan player in history in just a few weeks.