Midfield rebuild takes shape
Ayyoub Bouaddi has agreed personal terms with Manchester City, with the 18-year-old midfielder making clear he wants the move to happen this summer rather than next. The message from his camp is simple: he wants to be part of Enzo Maresca's squad for the coming campaign, not watching from afar.
Talks between City and Lille are at an advanced stage, and there is a growing sense that this one gets done. Both clubs consider the deal close, with the final details now being ironed out.
The fee is the headline: City are prepared to meet Lille's €100 million asking price for a player who has barely reached adulthood. That is a significant outlay, but the club clearly see Bouaddi as a generational midfield prospect worth the investment.
Lille president Olivier Létang has been adamant in public that Bouaddi would stay for another season. That stance now looks increasingly untenable as the two clubs edge towards agreement.
The key point in Fabrizio Romano's latest update is that Bouaddi wants to join now, not in twelve months' time.
Sacha Tavolieri adds that the clubs are finalising the details, and the expectation is that a deal will be concluded shortly. For a player of his age, the fee is remarkable — but so is the talent.