100 million euros to join the Moroccan Bouaddi to Manchester City

English club Manchester City has come a long way in negotiations with French club Lille, regarding the inclusion of Moroccan midfielder Ayoub Bouadi to its ranks.

The English club is seeking to complete the deal this week, especially after agreeing to sell its midfielder, Rodri, to Barcelona.

French Lille is seeking 100 million euros (about 116 million dollars) for this deal.

Bouadi is 18 years old, and he attracted attention through his distinguished performance in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup against Brazil. He also attracted attention before in the 2024 Champions League in the match of his French team, Lille, against its Spanish counterpart, Real Madrid.

As a defensive player, Bouadi is considered a “maestro” on the field and a late playmaker, and by including Bouadi, City is seeking to achieve a balance with Elliot Anderson, the newcomer to the club, in the midfield, who is also good at playing in the defensive midfield position.

Bouadi played 88 matches for French club Lille, since his first appearance in October 2023, just three days after his sixteenth birthday.

The Moroccan player contributed to the French club reaching third place in the French Premier League last season.

Meanwhile, Spaniard Rodri will complete his transfer to Barcelona, ​​for 65 million pounds sterling (about 88 million dollars) in the coming days, with a four-year contract.

Rodri played 298 matches over seven seasons full of achievements with Manchester City, which Rodri joined from Atletico Madrid in 2019, in a then-record deal for 62.8 million pounds sterling (about 85 million dollars).

Rodri, who is 30 years old, suffered a serious knee injury that prevented him from participating in many matches of the 2024-25 season and some matches of the subsequent season, before he returned to his fitness in the last World Cup, and led the Spanish national team to its second world title.

The coming days will reveal whether the success of the Bouadi deal will discourage City from pursuing Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandes.

Informed sources pointed out that City's technical director, Enzo Maresca, still has a strong desire to include Argentine Fernandez.

Bouadi has shown an unmistakable ability to progress throughout his promising career.

During the World Cup, among players older than him, Waadi did not shy away from the situation and gave a performance that caught attention.

In 2023, Bouadi was the youngest player ever to appear for the French team Lille, and that was a few days after his sixteenth birthday.

On his seventeenth birthday, Lille fans celebrated with him at Pierre Mauroy Stadium, after the French team’s victory over its Spanish counterpart, Real Madrid, in the Champions League.