Manchester City intensifies negotiations for Ayyoub Bouaddi transfer

Reigning English champions Manchester City have taken a serious step towards securing the services of Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi. According to Sky Sports, the Citizens have overtaken their main rivals Arsenal in this transfer race, gaining a significant advantage in negotiations. This is reported by Goal.com reports .

Previously, the London club was seen as the clear favorite to land the talented player. However, Arsenal management's focus shifting to the transfer of Bruno Guimarães gave Manchester City an opportunity, and they took control of the situation. As a result, personal contract terms with the 18-year-old player have already been fully agreed upon.

Negotiations and financial details

Currently, discussions between the clubs are ongoing almost uninterrupted. Manchester City sporting director Hugo Viana and Lille president Olivier Létang have maintained contact through regular phone calls rather than formal meetings. Although the English club has already submitted several verbal offers, the French side has rejected all of them in order to secure the best possible deal for their academy product.

Lille is standing firm on its financial demands, requesting a €100 million fee for the player. In turn, Manchester City plans to complete the transfer for around €90 million, including add-ons. For now, this financial gap remains the main obstacle between the two clubs.

The player's future and international participation

Ayyoub Bouaddi's current contract with Lille runs until June 30, 2029. Nevertheless, there are no issues regarding the player's personal agreement. He has agreed to the lucrative contract offered by Manchester City until June 2031 and expressed his full readiness to move to the new team.

Despite his teenage years, the midfielder has made 96 appearances across all competitions for Lille so far this season, providing 4 assists. He also caught the attention of the whole world through his participation in the World Cup with the Morocco national team. Although his team lost 2-0 to France in the quarter-finals, Bouaddi's confident performance in the middle of the pitch was enough to win over Manchester City.