City could hand Ayyoub Bouaddi a new position if they land Lille star this summer

Manchester City may have a rather different role in mind for Ayyoub Bouaddi if they manage to bring the Lille midfielder to the Etihad this summer.

Bouaddi has been on the radar for a while. The 18-year-old Morocco international's displays for Lille and at the World Cup have drawn attention from some of Europe's biggest clubs, and City are among those most consistently linked with an interest. Director of football Hugo Viana is understood to see him as a player who fits the long-term profile the club have prioritised in recent windows.

Much of the talk around Bouaddi has centred on a move for the future — sign him now, loan him back to Lille for another season. But according to Sam Lee of The Athletic, the club's thinking might be a bit more flexible than that.

Right-back rethink

City are said to admire Bouaddi and are currently weighing up how best to proceed. The options on the table include the previously reported loan-back arrangement for the 2026-27 season, but also the possibility of keeping him at the Etihad and finding him minutes straight away.

That second option has gained traction partly because of a specific tactical consideration. Bouaddi is described as a very talented but raw midfielder with the potential to be deployed at right-back under Enzo Maresca — a position City have found stubbornly difficult to fill through conventional channels this summer.

Converting a central midfielder into a full-back is not without precedent at City. The club has long valued versatility and tactical intelligence over rigid positional definitions in recruitment.

For Maresca, the appeal is clear: a young, technically capable player who can contribute in midfield while offering cover in an area that has proven a headache in the transfer market.

Whether City pursue Bouaddi as an immediate squad option or stick with the loan-back plan remains to be seen. But the fact the club is even considering a positional reinvention says plenty about how highly they rate the teenager — and the flexibility Viana is prepared to show as he reshapes the squad.