Manchester City agree £85.6m deal for Ayyoub Bouaddi

Manchester City are closing in on one of the most expensive teenage signings in football history after striking an agreement in principle worth 100m euros (£85.6m) for Lille’s 18-year-old midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi.

Talks between the clubs accelerated this week, with BBC Sport revealing they were in advanced negotiations for the Morocco international. Those discussions have now produced a deal: Bouaddi is set to join Enzo Maresca’s side, with Lille accepting an initial £81.4m fee plus a further £4.2m in performance-related add-ons.

For a player still in his teens, it is a staggering outlay. For City, it is a statement.

Midfield rebuild in full swing

The move comes during a summer of major surgery in City’s midfield. Rodri has been sold to Barcelona in a £65m transfer, while Tijjani Reinders has departed for Saudi Arabian club Al-Qadsiah in a £52m deal.

Those exits ripped out two central pillars of City’s structure. The response has been immediate.

Central midfield has been pushed to the top of the recruitment list, with Bouaddi now lined up as a key part of the next iteration of Maresca’s side. City have already made a huge domestic splash by signing England international Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116m.

The spending in that area is enormous. The intent is obvious.

More business to come?

City’s midfield rebuild is not finished yet. They retain an interest in Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez, although it is unclear whether they can reach an agreement for the World Cup winner.

For now, the focus is on completing Bouaddi’s long-anticipated switch to England. Once the formalities are done, Maresca will have one of Europe’s most coveted young midfielders to help shape a new era at the Etihad — and City’s rivals will have to decide how, or if, they can keep pace with this level of investment.