Manchester City sources issue midfield transfer update after Elliot Anderson deal confirmed

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·3. Juli 2026

Manchester City sources issue midfield transfer update after Elliot Anderson deal confirmed

Following the club-record £116 million acquisition of Elliot Anderson, senior figures at the Etihad Stadium are unlikely to view City’s midfield operations as complete.
Recruitment bosses have set sights on Ligue 1 and Lille’s 18-year-old talent Ayyoub Bouaddi.
As the post-Pep Guardiola era begins under Enzo Maresca, sporting director Hugo Viana is looking to reconstruct his central midfield ranks.

Sources around Manchester City are insisting that more work could be done in central midfield this summer, despite the club record-breaking deal for Elliot Anderson.

The urgency to construct a dynamic midfield rotation has grown significantly following the exit of long-standing talisman and club legend Bernardo Silva, who penned an agreement with Real Madrid upon the expiry of his City contract.

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Internal concerns regarding overall physical durability across another gruelling multi-competition calendar have also forced Manchester City’s recruitment officials to look beyond just a singular addition this summer – specifically in central midfield.

While Elliot Anderson provides immediate Premier League experience and box-to-box ball-carrying metrics, Enzo Maresca’s tactical system is expected to require technical profiles capable of dictating tempo and positional versatility.

Manchester City continue midfield transfer hunt

According to ESPN’s Rob Dawson, sources are insisting that Manchester City have not ruled out securing another midfield signing this summer, despite the big-money deal for Elliot Anderson.

Officials at the Etihad Stadium are said to be monitoring 18-year-old Moroccan international Ayyoub Bouaddi, currently of Ligue 1 side Lille.

How realistic is a deal for Bouaddi?

Lille officials are fully aware of the mounting English interest and admirers across the continent, and have reportedly pinned a baseline valuation of €80 million on their starlet, who remains under contract in France until June 2028.

Manchester City could explore the possibility of reducing any fee paid to the French side by permitting a season-long loan at Lille for Bouaddi during the forthcoming 2026/27 campaign, however it remains to be seen whether the club deems their present needs as urgent.

Other reports have indicated a review within the Etihad Stadium as to how they could grant Bouaddi sufficient on-field opportunities in the event of a move to the club this summer, including the idea of placing the Moroccan at right-back in some outings.