Man City agree £85m transfer deal for World Cup star Ayyoub Bouaddi to replace Rodri

Manchester City have landed Morocco superstar Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille in a deal costing up to £85million. Both clubs agreed the fee following extensive talks, with Bouaddi signing a five-year-deal at the Etihad with the option of an extra 12 months.

The move will take City's summer spending through the £200m barrier. The initial fee will be £81.4m, rising to £85m over the course of Bouaddi's time in the blue half of Manchester.

Bouaddi, 18, has emerged as one of the most talented and exciting teenagers in world football. City chiefs kept close tabs on his progress at this summer's World Cup , once it became clear Rodri would be leaving to join Barcelona .

Bouaddi, who will be unveiled this week, impressed at the tournament, starting five of Morocco's six matches in their run to the last eight. City chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak has been impressed with how Bouaddi has been able to step up on the big occasions as his burgeoning career has developed.

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Senior club figures believe Bouaddi's ability to remain unfazed and be able to compete against more senior and experienced players makes him an ideal fit for the City team. Before the World Cup, Bouaddi had a starring role in Lille's shock Champions League win over Real Madrid in 2024, when he announced himself onto the big stage.

New City boss Enzo Maresca regards Bouaddi as the ideal, long-term replacement for Bernardo Silva , who joined Real Madrid at the end of last season. Bouaddi has made 88 appearances for Lille since making his debut in October 2023, three days after turning 16, and helped them finish third in Ligue One last season.

Is Ayyoub Bouaddi good enough to replace Rodri ? Have your say in the comments section .

He also broke a record held by Eden Hazard , after making 50 Ligue 1 appearances for Lille at the age of just 18. City are still keen to sign a direct replacement for holding midfielder Rodri, but talks with Chelsea about a deal for Enzo Fernandez have continued to stall.

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