Man City transfer news: 'Agreement close' for midfield target amid Ayyoub Bouaddi, Enzo Fernandez speculation

By Darren Plant | 07 Aug 2026 16:18

Manchester City person reportedly made advancement successful their efforts to motion Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi.

On the backmost of his performances for Morocco astatine the World Cup, the 18-year-old is established arsenic 1 of the astir highly-regarded teenagers successful satellite football.

As a result, Lille are said to beryllium demanding a interest successful the portion of £85m if they are to currency successful connected the starlet this summer.

While a fig of European football's apical clubs person been linked with Bouaddi, Man City person been viewed arsenic the favourites for a fig of weeks.

According to transportation adept Fabrizio Romano, Man City are adjacent to getting the greenish airy for a deal.

Man City person Bouaddi boost

The study alleges that presumption are "very close" to being agreed betwixt Man City and Lille.

Although nary circumstantial interest is mentioned, the presumption is that it is successful the portion of the aforementioned asking price.

Bouaddi is reportedly yet to finalise idiosyncratic presumption with City chiefs astatine this constituent successful time.

He made a full of 35 starts and 5 substitute outings successful Ligue 1 and Europa League fixtures during 2025-26.

Five starts were besides made for Morocco successful the World Cup, with the Atlas Lions reaching the quarter-finals.

Will Man City inactive determination for Fernandez if they motion Bouaddi?

With Rodri being heavily linked with a transportation to Barcelona, Man City brag Enzo Maresca faces the imaginable of losing arguably the champion cardinal midfielder successful the world.

There are hopes that Bouaddi tin yet go viewed successful a akin bracket, but it is yet to beryllium determined whether helium is being viewed arsenic a consecutive replacement for Rodri.

Reports assertion that Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez, idiosyncratic who Maresca worked with astatine Stamford Bridge, is his preferred successor to Rodri.

At the aforesaid time, signing some Bouaddi and Fernandez would permission the Italian with engine-room options of Elliot Anderson, Nico Gonzalez, Tijjani Reijnders and Mateo Kovacic.

Maresca is highly improbable to privation to person six world-class cardinal midfielders astatine his disposal.