Arsenal set to battle Liverpool in the race for Ligue 1 star – Report | OneFootball

Bouaddi chase intensifies as Premier League giants circle

Football occasionally gifts us those rare prodigies who make even hardened scouts speak in reverent tones. Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi has reached that whisper-turning-to-roar stage, with Arsenal and Liverpool among those manoeuvring for the 18-year-old holding midfielder. Credit to TBR Football for revealing the scale of the scramble, and for highlighting how Europe’s most powerful recruitment departments are aligning their dossiers on the French wonderkid.

This pursuit feels reminiscent of battles once fought for Cesc Fabregas and Eduardo Camavinga, where intuition met data and every decision felt like a chance to shape a club for a decade.

Rising talent tied to elite pedigree

Lille, famed for producing star names like Eden Hazard and Leny Yoro, see the same aura in Bouaddi. The piece reports that “almost every major club in Europe is on Bouaddi’s trail” and, strikingly, “there is not a more talked-about player in Europe than him.” TBR Football also notes that scouts compare his ceiling to Hazard, even if stylistically Bouaddi dominates rhythm and space from deeper areas, conducting play rather than finishing it.

He has been monitored since his mid-teens, with Arsenal watching him before his senior debut and Liverpool’s scouts “left impressed.” When Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Manchester City sit in the same queue, the stakes become clear.

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Transfer timeline shaping up

Now 18, Bouaddi becomes eligible for Premier League movement in 2026, which explains why plans are taking shape already. As one source put it, “Lille know they have a generational talent on their hands” and reality dictates he “will remain after this season” only if miracles intervene.Clubs have learned to move early in this market, build trust with families and, crucially, project playing time pathways. Liverpool under Arne Slot and Arsenal under Mikel Arteta have both proven adept at that part of the craft.

Why this battle matters

Beyond the hype lies a real footballing logic. Deep-lying midfielders who combine tactical maturity, press resistance and positional bravery are gold dust. Bouaddi offers future proofing. Whoever wins his signature, likely for significant money, anchors their midfield for years.

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Excitement ripples through Liverpool and Arsenal supporters alike, because this is the sort of chase that hints at long-term vision. Liverpool fans will feel particularly intrigued. Since the heartbreaks of recent seasons and the emotional transition to Arne Slot, there has been hunger for the next generational pillar. Some will insist midfield talent already runs deep, yet the idea of slotting Bouaddi beside Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai sounds like tactical poetry.

Still, scepticism hovers. Nurtured comparisons to Eden Hazard raise eyebrows, because Hazard’s brilliance lay in dribbling sorcery, while Bouaddi thrives in territorial control and maturity beyond his years. That said, when multiple elite clubs converge on one name, there is usually substance beneath scouting folklore. Supporters might worry about bidding wars and whether financial firepower from Manchester City or Real Madrid makes the whole dream unrealistic. Others will ask whether Liverpool should prioritise more immediate squad needs, rather than future-casting.

Arsenal fans, meanwhile, will recall their brilliance in spotting Bukayo Saka and William Saliba early. They will see Bouaddi as continuity of a youth-first philosophy. Put simply, whoever lands him signals more than a signing. They signal dominance in the next cycle.