The midfielder was a standout player for Morocco in their 1-1 draw with Brazil at the World Cup on Saturday night.
Arsenal were sent a clear transfer message by Morocco starlet Ayyoub Bouaddi in the World Cup on Saturday night. The 18-year-old played a starring role in his nation’s 1-1 draw against Brazil in the World Cup in North America.
The African side took the lead through Ismael Saibari in the 21st minute, but were pegged back by Vinicius Junior. Bouaddi was praised for his performance.
Arsenal have been linked with the Lille midfielder and have been exploring a potential deal for several months. They do, however, face competition from PSG, with the player leaning towards a move to the French club.
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According to the valuation from CIES Football Observatory , Bouaddi is valued at between €51-59 (£44-£51m). That could rise by the end of the World Cup if the midfielder continues to impress.
Coming up against Casemiro and Bruno Guimaraes, it could have been easy for a young midfielder to go missing. But the opposite happened for Bouaddi.
What’s even more impressive is that it was the midfielder’s first competitive start for his nation, and just his fourth cap. His three other appearances have come in friendly matches in the build-up to the tournament.
Responding to his performance and reflecting on his decision to start the midfielder Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi had a clear stance.
“It was not a risk to play him just because he’s 18,” he said after the match.
“I only look at players’ performance, not the age of the player. He could be 35, and if he plays well, he’ll play, or 17.
“I’m not the guy to be afraid of playing youngsters, we were sure and certain that he’d have a big match, and so it wasn’t a risk at all – it wasn’t the kind of match for taking risks against Brazil.
“Maybe it’s because he’s a new player that everyone’s got so excited, it was his first match at international level, an important match at his young age, but he’s not short of experience.”
Bouaddi is likely to start for his nation again in the final two group games against Scotland (Friday 19 June, 11pm) and Haiti (Wednesday 24 June, 11pm). Arsenal will certainly be keeping a close eye on the midfielder to see if he can continue to shine on the world stage.
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