Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Manchester City signed highly rated teenage midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille in a deal worth $117 million on Wednesday, securing a rising star seen as the English Premier League giant's long-term replacement for Rodri.
The 18-year-old Morocco international has signed a five-year contract, City said, for a fee of 95 million euros ($110 million) plus 5 million euros in add-ons.
Bouaddi, a deep-lying midfielder, is being viewed as the long-term replacement for 2024 men's Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, who recently joined Barcelona after helping Spain win the World Cup.
City's midfield rebuild under manager Enzo Maresca, who has replaced Pep Guardiola, has also seen the club spend $155 million on England international Elliot Anderson and is unlikely to stop there, given Bernardo Silva has already left after his contract expired and Nico Gonzalez has traveled to Newcastle to tie up a transfer.
Manchester City signed highly rated teenage midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille in a deal worth $117 million on Wednesday, securing a rising star seen as the English Premier League giant's long-term replacement for Rodri.
The 18-year-old Morocco international has signed a five-year contract, City said, for a fee of 95 million euros ($110 million) plus 5 million euros in add-ons.
Bouaddi, a deep-lying midfielder, is being viewed as the long-term replacement for 2024 men's Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, who recently joined Barcelona after helping Spain win the World Cup.
City's midfield rebuild under manager Enzo Maresca, who has replaced Pep Guardiola, has also seen the club spend $155 million on England international Elliot Anderson and is unlikely to stop there, given Bernardo Silva has already left after his contract expired and Nico Gonzalez has traveled to Newcastle to tie up a transfer.
