Moroccan Ayoub Bouaddi, the French Lille midfielder, has taken a new step closer to transferring to Manchester City, according to media reports.
According to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, the player and his representatives have reached an agreement on personal terms with the English club, making the next step for the English club to reach a final agreement with Lille on the value of the deal and how it will be completed.
Reports indicate that negotiations between the two clubs have already reached an advanced stage.
Bouaddi is holding on to the idea of moving to Manchester City this summer, rather than waiting until 2027, which gives the negotiations an extra boost.
Manchester City had moved early on the player, who has become the focus of attention for a number of major European clubs after the standout level he showed with the Morocco national team at the 2026 World Cup.
Manchester City was not the only club following the player's development, as several major European clubs entered the competition, including Real Madrid, Arsenal, Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United, in addition to his current contract with Lille running until June 2029, which has put his club in a strong position during negotiations.
Reports indicated that the French club values its player at around 100 million euros, given the great interest in his services, which is double his current market value.
Lille had previously shown openness to selling Bouaddi this summer, while keeping him for an additional season on loan to continue his development.
