At just 18 years old, Ayyoub Bouaddi is already considered one of the biggest midfield talents. Having become an indisputable starter with LOSC last season, the midfielder impresses with his maturity, his technical quality and his enormous potential. Obviously, suitors are multiplying around the French international hopeful, even if Lille has no intention of selling him off. Asked recently about the value of his jewel, President Olivier Létang subtly set the bar.
“How do I answer this question… Did I speak, raise the subject, give a figure? No, never. You have to look at your level. How much were players like Elliot Anderson or Sandro Tonali sold, who are much older, but with no room for improvement? So you have an idea of the value of Ayyoub, who has a unique profile at only 18 years old”he explained, while his rating climbed further during the 2026 World Cup, where he impressed with Morocco for his debut with the Atlas Lions.
Manchester City wants to recruit him this summer
And according to information from The AthleticManchester City has made Ayyoub Bouaddi one of its priorities to strengthen its midfield. The Cityzens would like to recruit the Lille player this summer in order to immediately integrate him into Enzo Maresca’s squad, unlike other clubs who would be ready to let him continue his progress for another season in the North. Arsenal and Manchester United have also made contact with his entourage in recent months, while Paris Saint-Germain, despite links between Luis Campos and the player, are not expected to take action.
Lille, for its part, is not ruling out a departure, but only against an exceptional offer. The Mastiffs would value their nugget at around 100 million euros, an amount which precisely corresponds to the comparisons made by Olivier Létang with the recent transfers of Elliot Anderson or Sandro Tonali. Despite this dissuasive price, Manchester City seems ready to study all options to try to convince the northern club. After the departure of Bernardo Silva, Manchester City have already signed Elliot Anderson. But with questions surrounding the future of Rodri, Nico Gonzalez and even Tijjani Reijnders, Mancunian leaders want to prepare for the future and see Ayyoub Bouaddi as one of the best possible investments.
