Manchester City has reached an agreement with Lille for the transfer of midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, in a deal reportedly valued at up to £86m. This includes a fixed fee of £81.3m and an additional £4.3m in add-ons. The 18-year-old Moroccan international is expected to become the most expensive teenage signing in Premier League history, surpassing a previous £58.9m transfer.
Bouaddi’s arrival follows Manchester City’s record £116m acquisition of Elliot Anderson earlier in the transfer window. These moves are part of the club’s efforts to rebuild its midfield following the departures of Rodri, Bernardo Silva, and Tijjani Reijnders. Bouaddi is capable of playing as a defensive midfielder or in a more advanced role, offering versatility to the squad.
Maresca’s midfield decisions
In his first Premier League game as manager, Enzo Maresca made a notable decision by fielding Marc Guehi in a holding midfield role. This experiment, discussed on Match of the Day, ultimately proved successful. Maresca indicated that Guehi provides “a solution” in the central midfield area.
During the match against Bournemouth, Guehi demonstrated his versatility, scoring his 10th Premier League goal with an 84th-minute header. He also won all three of his tackles, achieved a 94.9% pass completion rate from 59 attempts, and won eight of his 11 duels. Former City goalkeeper Joe Hart commented on the interesting midfield pairing of Anderson and Guehi, suggesting it might not be a long-term arrangement, especially with Bouaddi joining the team.
Maresca had started Mateo Kovacic on the bench for the game. The manager, who succeeded Pep Guardiola, has expressed a desire for new signings before the transfer window closes on September 1. Despite reports of the Bouaddi deal emerging just 50 minutes before kick-off, Maresca stated he was unaware of the agreement as he had not yet communicated with the club’s decision-makers.
Transfer window activity
The summer transfer window remains active as it approaches its closing date. Beyond Manchester City’s dealings, other clubs are also making moves. Rangers are reportedly close to signing winger Kim Min-su from Girona in a €10m transfer. Min-su is expected to travel to Scotland to finalize the deal, with Rangers anticipating meeting the release clause in his contract.
Meanwhile, the future of Julian Alvarez continues to be a topic of discussion. Arsenal has shown interest in the player, but sources indicate that Alvarez’s primary desire is to move to Barcelona. Barcelona coach Hansi Flick reportedly views Alvarez as a top target to strengthen their front line, particularly after the departures of Robert Lewandowski to Chicago Fire and Ferran Torres to Paris Saint-Germain.
Atletico Madrid, Alvarez’s current club, has officially maintained that he is not for sale during this transfer window. However, club leadership sources suggest they would consider offers of €150m, particularly from clubs other than Barcelona or Real Madrid. Alvarez was reportedly jeered by Atletico Madrid fans during their home game against Villarreal, a match that ended in a 2-2 draw.
Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak emphasized the need for unity within the team, stating that the situation is “not comfortable for anyone.” Head coach Diego Simeone also highlighted the importance of having strong forwards for the team to succeed. The transfer window is set to close on September 1.
Source: bbc.co.uk
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