And Ayyoub Bouaddi has said his attention is on Morocco's World Cup campaign, not the transfer talk building around him. The 18-year-old Lille midfielder is being tracked by Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City, while Liverpool are also reported to have met his representatives.

"For the moment, I'm only focused on the World Cup. I cannot answer this right now. I am really happy to know that some clubs are interested in me, but for now, I'm here focused on the World Cup with Morocco and we will try to give everything to do our best."

Bouaddi's World Cup focus

The quote fits the way Morocco have used him so far. Bouaddi started both of their opening games, the 1-1 draw with Brazil and the 1-0 win over Scotland. He was then an unused substitute in the 4-2 win over Haiti.

That looks like a young player being handled carefully rather than someone in the middle of a transfer distraction. Bouaddi has already made 63 Ligue 1 appearances for Lille, which is a heavy load for an 18-year-old and one reason top clubs are looking now rather than later.

Lille are in a strong position too. Bouaddi is under contract until 2029, and the reported valuation sits in a broad band, with one update putting it at €75m-€80m and another at €80m-€100m. That is a serious price for any club, even before the competition for his signature is considered.

Liverpool and the price of the chase

Ben Jacobs said Liverpool like Bouaddi's profile and would not be surprised if the club advanced things after the World Cup. He also said Liverpool and Arsenal are among the Premier League sides interested, alongside clubs such as Real Madrid and PSG.

That leaves this looking like a live summer story, but not a settled one. Liverpool's reported talks with Bouaddi's representatives show contact, not completion, and the differing price ranges suggest the market is still trying to find a number everyone can live with.

Bouaddi has already played 40 times for Lille across Ligue 1 and the Europa League in 2025-26, so the interest is being driven by present-day output rather than reputation alone. For now, though, he has said the World Cup comes first, and Morocco's next game will be the clearest indicator of how much of his attention stays there.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →