'I cannot take my eyes off Bouaddi - he looks very special'

[Getty Images] Ayyoub Bouaddi belied his age with a mature Champions League performance on his first Manchester City start to showcase why the club were so intent on signing the 18-year-old. And after two substitute appearances for City, he was handed his first start against Porto and did not look out of place during the 2-0 victory. Erling Haaland will take the plaudits for his two goals, but it was Bouaddi who caught the eye with a tidy and assured performance in the middle of the park, signalling early signs that Rodri may not be too sorely missed after his departure. "His age, his game – he looks absolutely born to do it," former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin said on BBC Radio 5 Live during the game. "I cannot take my eyes off Bouaddi, he looks very special. The City fans had the fear of losing Rodri - I watched Bouaddi playing against Scotland at the World Cup, he has been very impressive so far." Aged 18 years and 341 days, Bouaddi became the fourth-youngest player to start a Champions League match for City. Question marks were raised around the size of the fee for a position on the pitch where players can be exposed, but Bouaddi seems to have settled in immediately and showcased why he will be a valuable option this season. "He is very good," said manager Enzo Maresca. "Against Coventry , he lost two balls and after that he was inside our box and calm. Other players may have panicked but at 18, he is a fantastic player. "Tonight, he was very good. He speaks French, English, Spanish perfect. He is different in how mature he is. This is why the club has made the effort for him to be with us." Bouaddi completed 54 of his 55 passes, while he also topped the metrics across players of both sides for most dribbles (4), most times possession won (7) and contesting more duels (13). "He did a really good game," said Haaland. "The last couple of weeks in training, he has been amazing. I think we have got a gem there, to be honest." Read more on Bouaddi's impressive performance