Manchester City have completed the signing of Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille, agreeing terms with the French club to the tune of £81.3m plus £4.3m in add-ons.

This makes the Moroccan midfielder the most expensive teenager in Premier League history.

The 18-year-old impressed in Ligue 1 last term and all told has made 96 appearances for the Mastiffs, making his competitive debut in October 2023.

Aged just 16 years and three days at the time this made him the youngest player to ever represent Lille.

His performances at this summer’s World Cup meanwhile brought him wider acclaim, not least via an opening encounter with Brazil. Excellent throughout, the youngster competed with Casemiro, a Ballon d’Or nominee no less, who is almost twice Bouaddi’s age.

The French-born holding midfielder has himself been recognised by Ballon d’Or, nominated for the Kopa Trophy in 2025, and City have clearly noted his high development ceiling, as well as stats last season that stood out.

Bouaddi’s 2025/26 in numbers

Tackles – 2.3 per 90

Interceptions – 1.0 per 90

Duels won – 10.10 per 90

Fouls drawn – 1.2 per 90

Accurate passes – 34.8 per 90

A midfield exodus

With so many outgoing players at Manchester City this summer it is reasonable to suspect their spending won’t stop with Bouaddi before the window closes on September 1st.

In recent weeks, their 2024 Ballon d’Or champion Rodri departed for Barcelona, while Tijjani Reijnders and Nico Gonzalez have joined Al Qadsiah in Saudia Arabia and Newcastle respectively.

Granted, the Blues brought in Elliot Anderson in July from Nottingham Forest but in terms of numbers they remain light in midfield as they seek to reclaim a Premier League title they have ceded in recent campaigns to Liverpool, then Arsenal.

For now though, the club will be delighted to have finally secured Bouaddi, a long-standing target.