Manchester City have reached a verbal agreement over a long-term contract with rising Morocco star Ayoub Bouaddi and are now locked in advanced negotiations with Lille to complete the transfer, according to reports in Europe.
Italian transfer journalist Nicolo Schira said on X that Bouaddi and City have settled on a deal running until 2031, with the Premier League champions pushing hard to finalise terms with Lille.
Schira added that City have accelerated their efforts to wrap up the move early in a bid to beat off competition from two other major European clubs who have also shown strong interest in the 2005-born midfielder.
City move early for ‘future star’
Manchester City are understood to view Bouaddi as a major long‐term project and a potential star of the future, prompting them to move decisively before a wider bidding war develops.
The Lille youngster has rapidly emerged as one of the most talked‐about prospects in European football, impressing first in Ligue 1 and then on the international stage with Morocco.
His reputation soared during the 2026 World Cup, where his performances drew praise, particularly in a standout display against Brazil in which he is described as having delivered an “amazing” performance. That showing has been cited as a turning point that pushed him firmly onto the radar of Europe’s elite clubs.
City’s hierarchy are now working to translate the verbal agreement with the player into a full deal with Lille, with talks described as intense as the English champions seek to reach a breakthrough.
Moroccan talent in growing demand
The pursuit of Bouaddi underlines a wider trend of increasing interest in young Moroccan talents across Europe’s top leagues.
In recent years, players of Moroccan origin have become key figures at several leading clubs, and Bouaddi is now considered one of the most closely watched names among the new generation.
City’s push reflects a strategy of recruiting high‐upside prospects early in their development, integrating them into an elite environment and shaping them over several seasons – a model that has already brought success with other young signings.
If an agreement with Lille is reached, the move would represent a significant step in Bouaddi’s career, taking him from a French club renowned for nurturing young players to one of the most powerful teams in world football.
Major leap in career on the horizon
Should the negotiations be successfully concluded, Bouaddi would join a squad competing regularly for the Premier League title and the Champions League, in a transfer that could mark the beginning of a new phase in his professional journey.
For Lille, the deal would be another example of their ability to develop and sell on top-level talent, while for Manchester City it would be a statement of intent in the race to secure some of the brightest emerging players in Europe.
No fee has yet been disclosed, and neither club has officially commented on the reported agreement, but City’s determined push suggests they are keen to close the deal swiftly and add Bouaddi to their long-term plans at the Etihad Stadium.
