Manchester City have agreed a deal with Lille to sign midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi. The Moroccan teenager is set to become the club's next signing after a €100m agreement was thrashed out.
City will pay an initial £81.4m (€95m) for the defensive midfielder, as well as potentially another £4.3m (€5m) to land a player that they became determined to bring in this summer following Rodri's exit. Lille wanted to keep Bouaddi for at least another season, and have held out for a mammoth fee in order to release him in this transfer window.
Midfield overhaul continues
With Elliot Anderson already through the door for a club record £116m, Bouaddi is the next significant piece of City's midfield overhaul after Rodri and Bernardo Silva departed the club. A five-year deal with the option of an extra year for Bouaddi signals the intent from the club for the 18-year-old to be a big part of their future.
City are still willing to bring in at least one more midfield player in the window. Tijjani Reijnders has left in the last week and the club are committed to replacing anyone that leaves in order to give Enzo Maresca the biggest support they can in his unenviable task of succeeding Pep Guardiola.
Further targets considered
The Blues want to sign Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez but he will likely cost in excess of £100m for the West London club to consider selling. Manu Kone of Roma is also an option to come in and City are working frantically in the final day of the window to give Maresca the squad he needs.
