Manchester City are pressing hard to sign Morocco international Ayoub Bouaddi from Lille, in a deal that could prove the biggest and most expensive of the summer window. Fierce European competition surrounds the midfielder after his eye-catching displays at the 2026 World Cup.
German journalist Florian Plettenberg, of Sky Sports, revealed that Bouaddi has already reached a full verbal agreement with City over personal terms, salary and contract length. It marks an advanced step towards getting the deal done.
Negotiations with Lille still stalled
Talks between the two clubs, though, are still in full swing. Lille have slapped huge financial demands on any departure for their Moroccan star, who ranks among the club's most prominent sporting and commercial assets.
Plettenberg pointed out that a host of major European clubs are watching the situation with keen interest. City remain closest to sealing the deal, thanks to their progress in negotiations and their enormous financial muscle.
Lille president shocks everyone
In controversial comments, Lille president Olivier Létang acknowledged that plenty of major European clubs want Bouaddi. Then he stunned everyone with a blunt verdict: "Few are the clubs that can afford Ayoub at present."
Létang insisted the Moroccan will stay put. Official offers do exist, he admitted, but the situation remains unchanged with every interested party, and he denied any final agreement with anyone so far.
Lille reject official offers and demand more than 100 million euros
Asked whether City could sign the player for a fee beyond the 100 million euro barrier, Létang replied firmly: "The only truth today is that Ayoub is 100 percent a Lille player. Yes, there have indeed been official offers, but they were not satisfactory at all, because Ayoub is a very important and pivotal player for us and for our sporting project."