Morocco starlet catches the eye
Enzo Maresca's official arrival at Manchester City has been confirmed, and it may not be long before the new boss makes his mark on the squad. The club have been working hard behind the scenes to get a deal for Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson over the line — that one is all-but-confirmed now — but the spending might not stop there.
A sizeable £116m will be required to complete the Anderson deal, yet City are unlikely to call it a summer after that. This could be a total rebuild. Bernardo Silva and John Stones have already followed Pep Guardiola out the door, and more changes are expected.
Maresca is a Guardiola disciple, but he'll have his own ideas about which players fit his squad for the 2026-27 campaign. One name in the frame is Ayyoub Bouaddi.
The 18-year-old is the subject of a multi-club battle this summer. City have only just entered the race, but they look the likeliest destination.
World Cup statement
Bouaddi has been the talk of the summer at the 2026 World Cup. He's impressed against Brazil, Scotland, and now the Netherlands. Despite being the youngest player in Morocco's squad, he looks one of the most composed.
In Morocco's win over the Netherlands on Tuesday, he played 79 minutes, completed 90 per cent of his passes, took two shots, and completed one of two dribbles. He also won two tackles and 83 per cent of his ground duels, made four recoveries, won two fouls, and took 73 touches.
He ran the show before being substituted for fresh legs. With Rodri out at the start of next season, Bouaddi would be the perfect signing this summer.
What about Rodri?
It's the natural circle of life in football. A footballer's shelf life is limited, and having just turned 30, Rodri is approaching the end of his career. Stefan Borson told Football Insider that the Spaniard is far more likely to leave on a free transfer next summer, but his injuries could make the 2026-27 campaign a difficult one personally.
If City sign both Anderson and Bouaddi in the coming weeks, Rodri could find himself forced out of the lineup more consistently. All signs point towards him joining Real Madrid, and with more signings arriving, he might not wait another 12 months to leave.