Weeks of speculation linking Moroccan wonderkid Ayyoub Bouaddi with Manchester City now appear to be leading to a concrete move. The 18-year-old midfielder is expected to arrive in Manchester on Wednesday, according to David Ornstein, a journalist for The Athletic.
According to Ornstein, Lille still need to “finalize the last details,” but, overall, “everything is done.” The situation could be confirmed in the coming hours, following Manchester City’s official transfer of Rodri to FC Barcelona. The departure of John Stones to Inter has also opened up space in midfield.
The transfer saga therefore appears to be nearing its conclusion, with speculation intensifying after the 2026 World Cup, where Bouaddi impressed with his maturity on such a major stage.
Olivier Létang, president of Lille, had previously played down the speculation, saying that the young Atlas Lion wanted to remain in northern France.
