Man City have completed the signing of Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille in a deal worth up to £86m.
The 18-year-old has signed a five-year contract and will wear the No.32 shirt, the same number he had at Lille.
Sky Sports reports City will pay £81.3m up front, with a further £4.3m available in add-ons.
The deal makes Bouaddi the most expensive teenage signing in Premier League history.
It is a remarkable fee for an 18-year-old, but City are buying a player who already has considerable senior experience.
Bouaddi joins City midfield rebuild
Bouaddi made 96 appearances for Lille after making his senior debut three days after his 16th birthday.
He has also won eight caps for Morocco and impressed during their run to the quarter-finals of this summer’s World Cup.
‘Manchester City are, for me, the best club in the world,’ Bouaddi said after completing the move.
The midfielder acknowledged that he still has plenty to learn at 18, but believes City is the right place to develop.
Director of football Hugo Viana described Bouaddi’s potential as ‘extremely high’ and highlighted his football intelligence.
Bouaddi’s arrival comes during a major change to City’s midfield.
Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Tijjani Reijnders have left this summer, while Elliot Anderson joined from Nottingham Forest for a club-record £116m.
Nico Gonzalez is also in Newcastle undergoing a medical ahead of his proposed move from City.
Bouaddi is City’s fourth signing of the summer, following Anderson, Jeremy Monga and Gerónimo Rulli.
The fee brings obvious pressure, particularly for a player still only 18.
City, though, have committed heavily to a midfielder they believe can be an important part of the side for years to come.
For more info on this and other City transfer deals and rumours, please check out our live transfer tracker.
