Fabrizio Romano reveals truth on Manchester City’s first-team pathway for Ayyoub Bouaddi

Fabrizio Romano reveals truth on Manchester City’s first-team pathway for Ayyoub Bouaddi Man City plan to sign Ayyoub Bouaddi this summer & allowing him to be at Lille next season The 18-year-old would join Man City’s first-team at the Etihad Stadium in the summer of 2027 Lille would prefer Bouaddi to move to England over a direct Ligue 1 rival amid PSG interest Manchester City are looking to complete a deal for Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi this summer and allowing him to remain at Lille for the 2026-27 season, as per reports. Bouaddi has been one of the breakout players of the FIFA World Cup , with the 18-year-old’s composed, technically assured performances for Morocco drawing widespread attention from some of Europe’s most prominent clubs throughout the group stage of the tournament in North America. Manchester City were previously reported to be monitoring the Morocco international ahead of a potential move, with director of football Hugo Viana understood to be keen on strengthening in central midfield beyond the Blues’ upcoming £116 million signing of Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest . Manchester City launch direct contacts with Lille over Ayyoub Bouaddi Lille , for their part, have been understood to hold a preference for Bouaddi to move to the Premier League should he depart the club this summer, a stance that has opened the door to City’s pursuit taking on a more defined shape. Romano: City would want to sign Bouaddi now, loan him back to Lille for one season As reported by transfer insider Fabrizio Romano , City’s current plan for Bouaddi is to complete the signing of the midfielder this summer, before allowing him to return to Lille on loan for one further season, with the teenager then expected to join incoming Blues boss Enzo Maresca ‘s first-team squad at the Etihad Stadium ahead of the 2027-28 campaign. The loan-back structure would allow City to secure their long-term target now, avoiding the risk of losing Bouaddi to a rival suitors Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid – while also ensuring the teenager continues his development in a familiar environment rather than being thrust immediately into the demands of the Premier League . The approach mirrors the kind of patient, long-term recruitment logic that Viana has championed since replacing Txiki Begiristain at the Etihad Stadium last summer, prioritising the right pathway for a player’s development over the short-term appeal of an immediate arrival. What does the loan-back plan mean for Man City’s rebuild? A deal structured around a summer of 2027 arrival means Bouaddi would not form part of Maresca’s squad for the upcoming season, making his signing a statement of future intent rather than an immediate fix for the midfield gaps the Blues are currently looking to address before the new campaign begins. That distinction matters in the context of City’s broader summer plans, with Viana still understood to be in the market for midfield reinforcements capable of contributing from day one alongside Anderson – as officials at the Etihad Stadium explore reuniting the incoming Anderson with former Newcastle United teammate Sandro Tonali . Manchester City plot summer 2027 move for World Cup starlet Whether Bouaddi is content to commit his future to the Etihad Stadium a full year before physically joining the club remains a most significant outstanding question in what is developing into one of the more intriguing subplots of the summer window.