World Cup Star in the Crosshairs: English Clubs Have the Edge Over Bayern | OneFootball

At the 2026 World Cup, several rising stars have really caught the spotlight so far. Among them is Ayyoub Bouaddi, who plays for the Moroccan national team. Bayern is also said to have him on their radar. But there’s a catch. 

The fact that FC Bayern is at least keeping an eye on the youngster from OSC Lille is nothing new. Most recently, reports suggested that Manchester City is in a strong positionfollowing renewed talks. 

Given the high transfer fee of around 70 million euros, Bayern is definitely in an underdog position. But there’s another factor at play: an additional demand from Lille.

English clubs have the edge with Bouaddi

Specifically, Lille has made it clear in negotiations with interested parties that they would like to keep the player for one more season. A transfer in 2026 could still go through, but only with a loan deal for the upcoming season.

Photo: IMAGO

For FC Bayern, such a high expense—combined with the fact that they cannot bring the player directly to Munich—would not be ideal. This is because Bouaddi was intended as an immediate solution, for example, in the event that Noel Aseko, who is being courted by Frankfurt, ends up leaving.

According to TEAMTalk, the English clubs that are interested—namely Man City, Chelsea, and Arsenal—would all be willing to loan the young midfielder back to France for another year. They apparently have the resources to treat him as an investment for the future and plan accordingly.

For the record champions, this means they have to concede defeat to the financially overwhelming competition in England. Especially since they need revenue first to restore financial stability before even considering another deal.