Manchester City in advanced talks with Lille to sign Ayyoub Bouaddi

Manchester City in advanced talks with Lille to sign Ayyoub Bouaddi Manchester City are in advanced talks with Lille to sign Ayyoub Bouaddi, per BBC Sport .  City have identified Bouaddi to replace Rodri, who is set to join Barcelona in a deal worth £65.3 million .  The Premier League giants would ideally like to keep Rodri, but the player has made it clear he wants a return to Spain.  With the 30-year-old having entered the final year of his contract, the Manchester club have decided to cash in on him this summer.   Man City have now stepped up their pursuit of Bouaddi, who is renowned for his composure under pressure, tactical intelligence and ball-carrying ability.  They plan to wrap up a move for the young midfielder this week.  Lille have set a firm valuation of £85.6m for the Morocco international, who is currently contracted until 2029.  Bouaddi has emerged as one of the most exciting young players in Europe.  He impressed with his performances at the summer’s World Cup, starting five matches for Morocco in their run to the quarter-finals of the competition.  Despite his age, Bouaddi has already made 96 appearances across all competitions for Lille.  Last season, he featured 42 times for the French club, helping them finish third in Ligue 1.  City have also been linked with Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez , but the Blues’ valuation means they would have to spend a record fee to sign the Argentine.  Stats from Transfermarkt