Arsenal agree to Lille’s request with €80m Ayyoub Bouaddi transfer now on | OneFootball

Arsenal have made a compromise in their efforts to sign Ayyoub Bouaddi, and with Lille’s request being met, a transfer can now proceed, according to a report.

Bouaddi may only be 18, but he’s already a force in midfield for both club and country. He’s been a regular starter for Lille in Ligue 1 over the last 18 months, and is earning rave reviews for his eye-catching displays for Morocco at the World Cup.

Accordingly, interest in prising the midfield ace out of Lille is predictably widespread.

PSG and Real Madrid are hovering, but from closer to home, Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United all harbour ambitions of bringing Bouaddi to the Premier League.

A recent update from Ben Jacobs revealed Lille have two different transfer fees in mind depending on what type of deal they’re able to agree with a buying club.

If selling the player right now, Lille want a hefty €100m / £86m. But ideally, Lille would sell the player now and loan Bouaddi straight back so he spends one more season in their ranks – a season in which they’re playing Champions League football.

Given that second scenario is less advantageous to the buying club, Lille are prepared to do business via that route for a reduced sum of around €75m-€80m / £64m-£68.5m, per Jacobs.

Now, our colleagues over on TEAMtalk have brought news of three of the English suitors – of which one is Arsenal – being prepared to accept the loan-back route to get a leg up in negotiations.

Arsenal, Man City, Chelsea all accept Lille request

Arsenal, along with Man City and Chelsea, are all now prepared to meet Lille’s request by signing Bouaddi for the smaller fee and loaning him back for the 2026/27 campaign.

Bailey explained: ‘I can exclusively reveal that Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea have all softened their stance and are now prepared to accept a loan-back arrangement if it gives them the edge in the race to sign one of Europe’s elite teenage talents.

‘All three Premier League giants had initially been keen to integrate Bouaddi into their first-team environments sooner rather than later.

‘However, sources say they increasingly recognise that agreeing to Lille’s request may prove decisive in winning the battle for his signature.’

Bailey went on to note Liverpool and Man Utd aren’t looking as favourably on the idea of signing a player for a big fee and being without his services for a year.

As such, those two clubs are expected to bow out of the race, leaving Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City as the main contenders from England.