Another piece of the puzzle
The reshaping of City's midfield this summer has been hard to miss. Elliot Anderson has already walked through the door, and now Ayyoub Bouaddi appears to be following him through it.
Talks between City and Lille are said to be in their final stages, with another round of discussions scheduled between the clubs. Fabrizio Romano reports that the two sides are preparing further talks aimed at getting the deal over the line, with the 18-year-old waiting for permission to travel for his medical.
ESPN had earlier claimed City were closing in on the Morocco international and wanted the move completed this week. L'Équipe then suggested negotiations would speed up after Rodri's departure for Barcelona, with Bouaddi potentially becoming the most expensive player ever sold from Ligue 1.
Romano now describes the negotiations as being at the “final stages”, with Bouaddi waiting for the green light to travel for his medical.
If the deal goes through, City will have added another young midfielder to a squad that is clearly being rebuilt in the middle of the park. Anderson's arrival was the first move; Bouaddi would be the second.
At 18, he is one of the most highly regarded young players in Europe, but he already carries considerable senior experience. For a player his age, that is not nothing.
There is no official confirmation yet, but all the signs point to City getting their man sooner rather than later.