Arsenal, Man United suffer major Ayyoub Bouaddi transfer blow as Lille president drops alarming hint

Arsenal and Manchester United person been dealt a caller stroke successful their efforts to motion Lille and Morocco midfield prima Ayyoub Bouaddi.

The 18-year-old had already attracted glances from crossed Europe during the home play and has further enhanced his estimation during the World Cup, playing a captious relation successful Morocco's progression to the quarter-finals.

Bouaddi has started 4 matches for the Atlas Lions successful North America, including Saturday's 3-0 last-16 triumph implicit Canada, which acceptable up a tantalising repetition of Morocco's 2022 semi-final with France.

The 2007-born imaginable is understood to beryllium connected Arsenal and Man United's radars successful particular, and it was antecedently reported that Lille would see offers of astir £69m for Bouaddi.

However, 2 £100m+ midfield deals are acceptable to instrumentality place, arsenic Elliot Anderson has already joined Manchester City for £116m, portion Sandro Tonali is connected the cusp of signing for Tottenham Hotspur for 3 figures.

Lille president drops £100m transportation hint implicit Arsenal, Man United-linked Ayyoub Bouaddi

Now, Lille president Olivier Letang has suggested that it would instrumentality a akin terms to prise Bouaddi distant from the Stade Pierre-Mauroy - perchance adjacent much owed to the Moroccan's "unique" qualities.

"When I spot Anderson determination to Manchester City for £116m and Tonali to Tottenham for £100m, and they don’t person the imaginable for improvement that Ayyoub has due to the fact that helium possesses unsocial qualities," The Standard quotes Letang arsenic saying. "I person a terms successful mind, and we’ll spot what happens."

Bouaddi is nether declaration astatine Lille until 2029, having penned an hold arsenic precocious arsenic December, meaning that Les Dogues are nether nary unit to judge a cut-price interest for the teenager.

Making his debut for Lille successful 2023 astatine the property of 16, Bouaddi is the youngest subordinate to ever look successful a competitory crippled for Les Dogues, and earlier this twelvemonth helium broke Eden Hazard's grounds for the youngest antheral to marque 50 Ligue 1 appearances for the club.

The erstwhile France younker planetary has acceptable up 4 goals successful 96 appearances for Lille successful each competitions, though helium besides collected 9 yellowish and 2 reddish cards successful the 2025-26 campaign.

Can Arsenal, Man United spend to walk £100m connected Ayyoub Bouaddi?

When much experienced midfielders - albeit ones with Premier League nous - are going for £100m+, Lille cannot beryllium blamed for slapping a akin terms tag connected Bouaddi's head, particularly aft his standout World Cup displays.

However, if Letang is superior astir demanding 9 figures for the Moroccan, Arsenal are best-placed to look elsewhere portion they besides root 2 caller attackers and a right-back.

Sporting manager Andrea Berta could already beryllium spending adjacent to £150m connected left-wingers if a blockbuster determination for Morgan Rogers comes to fruition, and Arsenal are besides nether unit to marque immoderate important income aft years of inexpensive exits.

Bouaddi would besides not waltz consecutive into the Arsenal midfield, though it whitethorn beryllium a antithetic communicative astatine Man United, wherever caller accomplishment Ederson is expected to regenerate Manuel Ugarte alternatively than Casemiro.

The Red Devils could fork retired £100m+ if Bouaddi instantly plays the Casemiro relation alongside Kobbie Mainoo, but that is simply a monolithic work connected young shoulders.