Soccer-Manchester City sign Morocco midfielder Bouaddi from Lille


Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Paris St Germain v Lille - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - January 16, 2026 Lille's Ayyoub Bouaddi reacts REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

Aug 26 (Reuters) - Manchester ⁠City havesigned midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi from French ⁠side Lilleon a five-year contract,the Premier League ‌club said on Wednesday.

Financial details were not disclosed but British media reported that City paid £86 million ($117 million) for the 18-year-old.

"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. I have spent most of my ⁠life working hard to become the best ​player I ‌can be and reach the top of ⁠the game," ​Bouaddi said in a statement.

He made 30 Ligue 1 appearances last season after becoming in 2023 the ⁠youngest player to represent Lille ​at the age of 16.

Bouaddi made his senior debut for Morocco in May and was included in ⁠their World Cup squad. He made his tournament debut against Brazil and started five of Morocco's six matches as they reached the quarter-finals.

City signed ​England midfielderElliot Anderson from Nottingham ⁠Forest for a reported £116 million($158 million) last month.

Midfielders ​Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Tijjani ‌Reijnders left the club during ​the current transfer window.

(Reporting by Paras J. Haji in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)

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