Not Enzo Fernández: Manchester City already have Rodri's replacement | OneFootball

For weeks, the name Enzo Fernández was the one heard most often in the corridors of Manchester City. The Argentine, who reached the final of the 2026 World Cup and whom coach Enzo Maresca knows inside out from their shared time at Chelsea, was the priority. The plan seemed set. But the transfer market has a logic of its own, and City have just completed the signing of a midfielder who, only a few months ago, had still never played in a World Cup.

The chosen one is Ayyoub Bouaddi, 18, a standout for Morocco at the World Cup and one of Lille’s brightest prospects. According to European media, the agreement on the midfielder’s personal terms was finalized a few days ago, and the move—which had initially been projected for 2027—was brought forward. The total cost will be around 100 million euros (about USD 116 million).

Rodri’s move to Barcelona left a gap that City needed to fill urgently. The Premier League starts in a week, and Maresca was explicit about it in the press conference after the defeat to Arsenal in the Community Shield final: “Without a doubt, the sooner he arrives, the better, because we start the Premier League in a week. If they start training with us as soon as possible, even better, because that way they can understand the way we want to play,” the Italian coach said.

On Fernández, Maresca was deliberately tight-lipped. The coach managed him at Chelsea and holds him in high regard, but when the press pushed him with a direct question about the possibility of his arrival, the response left no room for doubt: “At this moment I have to give you the same answer as from day one, and it will always be the same. He is a player from another club, and I don’t think it is right to talk about other players,” he said. The Argentine, who was booed by Chelsea fans days ago after his flirtation with City, will remain at Stamford Bridge, at least for now. He had been valued at 160 million dollars by his current club.

Bouaddi’s profile explains, in part, why the club decided to change course. The Moroccan stands 1.85 meters tall and combines physicality, tactical intelligence, and a reading of the game that is striking for someone his age. His greatest strength lies in how he manages the ball: he plays with naturalness and confidence in the center circle, and he anticipates situations before they unfold. Those qualities made him one of Lille’s standout players in recent years and, later, one of the most closely watched players at the 2026 World Cup.

Bouaddi’s maturity stands in contrast to his 18 years. His personality on and off the pitch puts him in a place that is unusual for someone just beginning to break into the elite of European football. Added to that is the fact that his physique still has room for development, which turns the 100-million-euro investment into a bet City intend to back over time.

With the deal practically done, Manchester City have thus resolved one of the biggest questions of the summer transfer window in England: who can step into the role left by Rodri without the difference being felt too much.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.