Manchester City has agreed to sign Moroccan midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille for up to €100 million, a deal that would make him the most expensive player transferred from Ligue 1 to a foreign club.
City will pay an initial €95 million with another €5 million in potential bonuses, according to reports cited by Reuters. Neither club had officially announced the transfer at the time of publication.
Bouaddi traveled with Lille for Sunday’s Ligue 1 match against Angers but was omitted from the squad. Lille won 2-0 as the 18-year-old watched from the stands at Stade Raymond-Kopa.
The reported fee would surpass the €90 million Paris Saint-Germain received when Neymar joined Saudi club Al-Hilal in 2023, according to L’Équipe.
Bouaddi made 30 Ligue 1 appearances last season and helped Lille finish third. He also started five of Morocco’s six matches during the 2026 World Cup, where the Atlas Lions reached the quarterfinals.
The defensive midfielder made his Lille debut in October 2023, three days after turning 16. He remains under contract with the French club until June 2029.
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