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Manchester City is in active discussions to sign Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille OSC, with a notable twist: the Premier League side is considering loaning the 18-year-old midfielder straight back to the French club for the entire 2026-27 season.
The proposed deal would see Lille pocket a transfer fee in the range of €80M to €100M.
A teenager with a record book and a passport full of stamps
Born on October 2, 2007, Bouaddi holds the record as Lille’s youngest player to reach 50 Ligue 1 appearances.
He has already earned senior international caps for Morocco despite his age. His professional contract with Lille was originally signed in August 2023, when he was 15, and extended in December 2025 until June 2029.
The interest is not limited to Manchester City. Manchester United, Arsenal, PSG, and Bayern Munich have all reportedly been tracking Bouaddi.
The loan-back structure and why Lille wants it
Lille’s president Olivier Létang has made the club’s preference crystal clear. The ideal scenario for Lille is Bouaddi staying until summer 2027, allowing the club to benefit from his contributions on the pitch while securing a transformative fee.
Reports suggest Manchester City made early contact with Bouaddi’s representatives in late June 2026. No official agreement has been reached as of this writing, and the negotiations remain ongoing. Multiple reputable journalists have confirmed that discussions are happening.
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