Manchester City are closing in on a deal for Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, with the transfer fee potentially reaching 100 million euros ($116.80 million) for the 18-year-old.
The agreement is understood to include an initial payment of 95 million euros, with a further five million euros available through performance-related bonuses. Bouaddi, who represents Morocco internationally, is set to move to the Premier League champions.
His arrival would rank among City’s costliest transfers, coming after they signed Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest earlier this summer in a deal reportedly worth 116 million pounds ($158.18 million).
Bouaddi, primarily deployed in a holding midfield role, played 30 Ligue 1 matches last season as Lille claimed third place and earned a spot in the Champions League.
He made his Morocco senior debut in May before being selected for the nation’s 26-player World Cup squad. Bouaddi appeared for the first time at the tournament against Brazil and started five of Morocco’s six games as they advanced to the quarter-finals.
