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Manchester City have announced the signing of midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille on a five-year contract until 2031. City have paid €100 million (€95 million up-front and €5 million in add-ons) to the Ligue 1 club for the Morocco international, who burst onto the global stage at the FIFA World Cup in North America earlier this summer. Bouaddi was identified as a capable addition to Manchester City’s midfield this summer, with the Blues having bid farewell to Bernardo Silva, Rodri and Tijjani Reijnders since Pep Guardiola’s departure in May. The 18-year-old passed a medical in Manchester on Monday and subsequently completed official media duties, having bid farewell to Lille fans at Stade Pierre Mauroy over the weekend. Enzo Maresca’s side came from behind to beat Bournemouth late on in their opening game of the 2026/27 Premier League season on Sunday, with Marc Guehi surprisingly partnering club record £116 million signing Elliot Anderson in midfield. Anderson went off with an injury just past the hour mark in the 2-1 win over the Cherries and City have now finally announced their long-awaited acquisition of Bouaddi from Lille to bolster their midfield prospects for the years to come. What has Ayyoub Bouaddi said upon completing his Man City transfer? In his first interview as a Manchester City player, Bouaddi said, "This is a very special day for me and my family. 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." He continued, "I’ve watched City for many years, and I love their style of play. City always try and play quality football. And they have shown they are winners – this Club feels like it’s built to win. "The squad is world-class and Enzo is a top manager. And I’m really looking forward to playing at the Etihad Stadium, in front of all the fans. I have plenty of improving to do. I am only 18. I am happy with the progress I have made so far, but I also know I can improve so much. This is undoubtedly the best place for me to do that. “This Club demands trophies and I will give everything to make sure we are challenging for every title.” What has Man City sporting director Hugo Viana said on the deal? City director of football Hugo Viana added, “Ayyoub’s potential is extremely high - a player equipped with everything a top midfielder needs. At just 18, he already has outstanding football intelligence and that will only improve under the guidance of Enzo." He continued, "We have watched him very, very closely and throughout that process we have become increasingly convinced he is a huge talent who will thrive at City. "We are really happy he has joined us and our job now is to ensure we provide him with everything he needs to fulfil his potential.” Where could Ayyoub Bouaddi fit in at Man City? Bouaddi is expected to partner Anderson in a midfield two in the longer run, with Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden expected to battle for the number 10 position behind the front three. The youngster primarily operated as a deep-lying number six but as he showed at the World Cup this summer, he is more than capable of driving forward and Maresca could explore using him as a box-to-box midfielder at the Etihad Stadium. With Anderson going off with injury against Bournemouth, Bouaddi could be thrown straight into action against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park this weekend. City are close to selling Nico Gonzalez to Newcastle United to make further room in their midfield, despite the 24-year-old Spaniard expressing a desire to stay and fight for minutes under Maresca. Mateo Kovacic came off the bench against Bournemouth, with Maresca also hinting that Guehi's midfield experiment was not a one-off instance and that the England defender could be asked to operate in the middle of the park more often. The Blues remain in the market for another midfielder amid interest in Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez and AS Roma’s Manu Kone, with huge pressure on Viana and co to fill the glaring voids in Maresca’s midfield before the September 1 transfer deadline.