Man City transfer news: Enzo Maresca suffers new Ayyoub Bouaddi blow despite £85.6m hope

Manchester City person been dealt a caller setback successful their efforts to motion Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille, whose president remains assured of keeping clasp of the teenager.

Man City person been locked successful talks to motion Bouaddi, who had already risen to prominence successful Ligue 1 earlier his banal roseate adjacent further during the 2026 World Cup.

The 18-year-old started 5 matches arsenic Morocco reached the quarter-finals successful North America, wherever helium shone against Brazil successful particular, completing 60 passes successful the group-stage draw.

In doing so, Bouaddi became the second-youngest subordinate connected grounds to implicit 50+ passes successful a World Cup game, and City had emerged arsenic the favourites to motion him implicit the past fortnight.

However, Lille president Olivier Letang has present reiterated his content that Bouaddi volition stay astatine the Stade Pierre-Mauroy for the 2026-27 campaign, portion besides affirming that the midfielder himself does not privation to leave.

Lille president assured of Ayyoub Bouaddi enactment amid Man City interest

"I told you past clip that I thought Ayyoub (Bouaddi) was going to enactment with us, and I inactive basal by that," Letang said astatine a property league connected Friday.

"The thought remains the same: to person a competitory team. If clubs travel successful astatine the extremity of the transportation model for a peculiar presumption and we’re not successful a presumption to regenerate the player, past we won’t spell up with the deal.

"We’re successful regular interaction with Ayyoub (Bouaddi); he’s not successful a hurry to leave, and he’s precise keen to enactment present too. When you’re 18 and astatine a nine similar LOSC, wherever you person the accidental to play a important fig of matches – including successful the Champions League – you people inquire yourself, wherefore permission now? […] I’ll fto him talk for himself erstwhile the clip is right."

Despite Letang's affirmations, Lille are inactive believed to beryllium unfastened to bids of £85.6m oregon higher for Bouaddi, whose declaration with Les Dogues does not expire until 2029.

The 6ft 1in midfielder has provided 4 assists successful 96 matches for Lille crossed each competitions and started 28 Ligue 1 games for Les Dogues past season.

Who tin Man City motion alternatively of Ayyoub Bouaddi?

Letang's comments should not pb to Man City wholly abandoning their pursuit of Bouaddi, but the Sky Blues ought to beryllium making contingency plans successful lawsuit talks bash pb to nothing.

The perfect script for Man City is that Rodri snubs interest from Real Madrid and signs a caller deal, but determination is simply a increasing anticipation that the 2024 Ballon d'Or victor volition articulation Los Blancos this summer.

Instead, Enzo Maresca could accelerate his pursuit of a reunion with Chelsea lynchpin Enzo Fernandez, though the Argentina planetary would surely not enactment arsenic a like-for-like replacement for Rodri.

Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton and Bournemouth's Alex Scott are besides heading into the 2026-27 play with their futures unresolved, and nary rival clubs person made important advancement successful efforts to motion either Englishman.