Manchester City are pushing hard for Ayyoub Bouaddi, but this is not a clean chase. Lille are asking for €100 million, which Goal also translated as £85 million, Manchester United have kept contact with the midfielder's camp, and City want him in their first-team squad this summer rather than on loan.

Lille's price and City's plan

David Ornstein said City are reportedly "pushing hard" to secure Bouaddi's signature. Ornstein and Sam Lee added that Lille are setting a price in the region of €100 million (£85m; $114m) to get a deal done.

That valuation is the first barrier, but City's stance is just as clear. They prefer to integrate him into the squad straight away, not send him back to Lille for another spell. With City and United both active, the move has already become a market battle as much as a football one.

City finished second in the Premier League with 78 points, so their summer business is being framed as work for a side still chasing the top spot. United finished third, which is why their involvement matters, even if they are still playing catch-up in the race.

Bouaddi's World Cup case

Bouaddi's rise is not based on one hot week. He made five World Cup appearances, played 390 minutes and averaged a 6.63 rating across the tournament. Those are the numbers Lille are using to justify a premium fee for an 18-year-old midfielder.

There is some disagreement over the fee. Some reports have placed Lille's asking price at €80 million, but Goal's reporting points to the higher figure of €100 million. The gap matters because it changes the shape of the deal, especially if City are insisting on an immediate first-team place.

United's late push keeps the pressure on, and it is hard to ignore that they have maintained contact with Bouaddi's camp while City try to move first. The market is still open, and Lille are behaving like a club aware that they can wait for the right offer.

The next concrete step is simple enough: City and their rivals now have to decide whether Bouaddi is worth that €100 million level before the window moves on.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →