Ben Jacobs says Manchester United have muscled into the Ayyoub Bouaddi conversation, but Lille are still pushing for a structure that keeps the midfielder on their side of the deal. The price is the bigger obstacle. Lille want €100m (£86m) for an immediate signing, or a cheaper route worth €75-80m (£64-68.5m) that points to a loan-back, a pre-agreement, and summer 2027.

Lille's price and timing

Bouaddi is only 3 years into his senior career, and the pull from bigger clubs is easy to understand. He has already made 96 appearances for Lille and 42 outings in the 2025-26 campaign, while his contract runs until June 2029. The attraction is obvious, but Lille do not sound in a hurry to lose control of the timeline.

Jacobs put it plainly on football365.com: “Bouaddi is another really interesting one, Man Utd have muscled their way into that conversation, even though Manchester City are there as well. Bayern and Chelsea are the other ones to watch.” That is the part United fans will care about, but it does not mean the move is close. The club are still only one of several serious bidders.

United's place in the market

United's interest comes while they are also trying to bring another two midfielders to Old Trafford this summer, and they have already agreed a deal with Atalanta BC to sign Ederson. Jacobs also said United have other targets ahead of Baleba, which tells you this is a club keeping multiple options open rather than racing headlong into one deal.

Bouaddi's World Cup showing has helped keep him on the radar. He made 3 appearances for Morocco at the 2026 World Cup, logged 265 minutes and posted a 6.68 average rating. For a player his age, that is a decent amount of senior football on a major stage, and it is exactly the kind of profile that tends to draw several heavyweight clubs into the same race.

City may still be better placed, and Jacobs has also said they have shown they are willing to discuss a loan-back or pre-agreement. So the market is not being driven by United alone. What is clear is that Lille like the 2027-style structure, and that makes an instant transfer far less likely than the noise around the player might suggest.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 8 outlets. How we work →