Lille are targeting a Real Madrid player this summer to soften the blow of Ayyoub Bouaddi's expected exit, according to a press report on Wednesday.
With their Moroccan star closing in on a move to Manchester City, the French club have already lined up his replacement from the Real Madrid academy.
The transfer market has been busy for Lille, who are ready to open a new chapter under new manager Davide Ancelotti.
Several stable seasons have given way to genuine upheaval, with wholesale changes to the squad. Chancel Mbemba, Aïssa Mandi and Thomas Meunier have all left, along with young forward Hugo Rajoub.
Those exits have forced the management to work fast, building a team capable of matching their stated ambitions. Champions League football makes the task all the more urgent.
Ayyoub Bouaddi on the verge of Manchester City
Just 18, the midfielder is rated as an exceptional talent and one of the brightest rising stars in European football.
Standout displays at the 2026 World Cup with Morocco sent his market value soaring in recent months.
Lille have made no secret of their financial hopes over the Moroccan, believing he could fetch more than 100 million euros.
Manchester City are now very close to an agreement with Lille over Bouaddi. Negotiations have progressed well, and the essential terms are all but done.
Lille want to sign Jorge Cestero
Lille have already contacted Real Madrid over a move for young midfielder Jorge Cestero, who has caused a stir in the club's academy, according to the newspaper "Marca".
At 20, Cestero currently plays for Real Madrid Castilla and ranks among the club's most promising talents. His former coach Álvaro Arbeloa called him "the best defensive midfielder in Spain", a verdict that captures the high regard the Zaragoza native enjoys at the Bernabeu.
Since joining Real Madrid in 2019, Cestero has slowly cemented his place through footballing intelligence, technical quality and an ability to run the midfield from deep. He is far more than a ball-winner. His modern style lets him break through defences, ride the press and inject dynamism into his team's attacks.
Real Madrid are watching his development closely, and a move to the first team in the medium term cannot be ruled out.
Contracted until 2028, the youngster has already brushed shoulders with the senior side under Xabi Alonso, joining in on some training sessions with the Real Madrid stars before Arbeloa handed him his first-team debut against Benfica in the Champions League.
His maturity at such a young age and his influence in the Castilla midfield have raised expectations about what comes next. For Lille, the plan appears clear: sign a player cut from the same cloth as Bouaddi, a young talent with huge potential who can develop quickly in a competitive setting.
A loan may well be the preferred route. It suits Lille's policy of nurturing promising youngsters and Real Madrid's strategy of handing their talents more professional minutes.