Manchester City Are In Talks To Recruit This Ligue 1 Midfielder: A Star In The Making? | OneFootball

In a recent report, Fichajes mentioned that Manchester City are in talks to recruit Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi. It has been claimed that the Mancunian club have already agreed terms with the Morocco international and remain in discussions to sign him this summer.

Bouaddi’s Impressive Rise In French Football

Bouaddi enjoyed a solid campaign at the French club as he put in a string of impressive displays for them at the centre of the park. The Moroccan talent secured one assist but failed to find the back of the net in 42 matches for Lille last season across all competitions.

The 18-year-old is currently among the best young midfielders in Ligue 1. Hence, Man City would do well to get him on board in this transfer window.

Boauddi is under contract at Lille until the summer of 2029, which could make it difficult for the Mancunian giants to sign him on the cheap later this year.

HOUSTON, TEXAS – JULY 04: Ayyoub Bouaddi #6 of Morocco arrives at the stadium before the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match between Canada and Morocco at Houston Stadium on July 04, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Manchester City Are In Talks To Recruit Bouaddi: Is He A Star In The Making?

Bouaddi loves a tackle and can read the danger well to secure possession back for his team inside his half. He usually puts his foot through the ball when the opposition are on the front foot and is an accurate distributor as well from midfield.

The Morocco international can even use his strong 1.85m frame to win a few 50-50 aerial duels for his team. Bouaddi is primarily a box-to-box midfielder but can also serve as a defensive midfielder if told to do so. However, there are some question marks over whether he can cope with the physical side and high intensity of Premier League football if Man City manage to get a deal over the line for him this summer.

We can expect Bouaddi to bring more bite and steel to Enzo Maresca’s midfield in the long run. He is already capable of fighting for a regular starting place at the Etihad Stadium in the coming seasons.

At 18, the future looks quite promising for Bouaddi as long as he continues to improve with each year. He is undoubtedly a star in the making. Therefore, Maresca should focus on stepping up his efforts to acquire Bouaddi’s services before the end of this transfer period.