Manchester City has signed Morocco midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille on a five-year contract through 2031, the Premier League club announced Wednesday.
The 18-year-old joins City after making 96 appearances for Lille across three seasons. He made his senior debut in the UEFA Conference League three days before his 16th birthday and developed into a regular in the French club’s midfield.
Bouaddi represented France at the youth and U21 levels before choosing Morocco, his parents’ country. He has earned eight senior caps and played a key role for the Atlas Lions at the 2026 World Cup, where Morocco reached the quarterfinals before losing to France.
“This is a very special day for me and my family,” Bouaddi said. “Manchester City are, for me, the best club in the world. It’s a dream to be here and be able to call myself a City player.”
Bouaddi impressed during Morocco’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign, including in its opening game against Brazil. City said he completed 91% of his passes in that match and recorded six recoveries, five interceptions, and nine successful duels.
City director of football Hugo Viana described Bouaddi as a midfielder with “outstanding football intelligence” and said the club believes he can develop further under coach Enzo Maresca.
Bouaddi helped Lille finish fourth in Ligue 1 last season and qualify for the Champions League. He made 42 appearances for the club across all competitions in 2025-26.
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