Updated: 3 Aug 2026 13:45 BST |
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Manchester City are closing in on a deal to sign Ayyoub Bouaddi in a potential €100 million transfer from Lille, but Elliot Anderson is indirectly holding up the move.
Bouaddi enjoyed a breakout performance at the 2026 World Cup with Morocco but had been on the radar of many leading clubs following two seasons of excellence in Ligue 1.
City have taken a major step towards securing his signature by reaching a “full verbal agreement” over personal terms for the player, but transfer expert Florian Plettenberg warns that the saga is not over yet.
The Sky Sport Deutschland transfer insider says that while a deal has been struck with Bouaddi, there is not yet an agreement in place with Lille.
Other clubs are monitoring the situation and are getting ready to pounce should the Premier League side slip.
Lille using Anderson to set Bouaddi price
Lille have indicated behind the scenes that they will benchmark their valuation for Bouaddi against that of Anderson, who moved from Nottingham Forest to City in a deal worth €135 million earlier this summer.
Publicly, president Olivier Letang has not put a price on his player but has indicated that he wants the 18-year-old to stay for another season.
“I never discussed figures,” the Lille president told L’Equipe. “But very few clubs today can afford a player of Ayyoub’s quality, who is only 18.”
“What environment would be best for him to continue developing? We’ve seen each other since he returned from the World Cup. I can’t say what we discussed. Anything is still possible, but in my opinion, he should stay with us for another season. I’m convinced there’s a strong chance he’ll stay with us. And he would be very happy to do so.”
The possibility of Lille making an immediate sale but loaning the teenage midfielder back for one further year is something that has not been discounted.
Why Bouaddi is Man City’s long-term replacement for Rodri
Man City signing Bouaddi would open the door for Rodri to leave for Real Madrid. He may not be at Spaniard’s level yet, the France-born midfielder is regarded as a natural heir to the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner.
He possesses the same game intelligence as the City captain, controlling the tempo of matches with smart passes, even when under pressure. A wiry and tenacious midfielder, he is also appreciated for his work rate.
Data analytics firm SciSports gives Bouaddi a potential SciSkill score of 132.3. There are currently only four players in the world with a higher figure, which is calculated using hundreds of in-game data points. Included in this number of Manchester City’s very own Erling Haaland (136.2).
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