City and Lille appear to be telling two different stories about Ayyoub Bouaddi’s future. All within the space of a single day.
TEAMtalk’s Graeme Bailey reported City have taken “a significant step” towards signing the 18-year-old, with personal terms already agreed and Real Madrid’s pursuit of Rodri continuing to run in parallel.
That account sits awkwardly alongside comments from Lille president Olivier Letang, given at a press conference just hours earlier. Letang said City’s target was “not in a hurry to leave” and reiterated a position he first set out weeks ago. “I think he’ll stay with us,” he said, pointing to Bouaddi’s Champions League football at Lille as reason enough to stay put.
Pressed further on the player’s own thinking, Letang declined to add detail. “I’ll let him speak for himself when the time is right,” he said.
City are understood to have already agreed personal terms with Bouaddi on a contract running to 2031, and have shifted their stance in recent weeks from a loan-back arrangement to wanting him in Enzo Maresca’s squad immediately.
Lille’s valuation is set at around €100m, with City reportedly willing to go as high as €90m plus add-ons.
With City’s business elsewhere in midfield also tied to Rodri’s own departure to Real Madrid, Ayyoub Bouaddi’s situation remains one of the more unresolved threads of City’s summer.
For every deal, see our 2026 summer transfer tracker.
