Manchester City are reported to be advancing towards a deal for Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, with the teenager’s potential arrival linked to a possible departure for Rodri.
Multiple outlets on Tuesday said City were in discussions to sign the 18-year-old, while reporting that Lille have placed a €100m valuation on the player, equivalent to about £85m. The Guardian reported that Bouaddi has settled personal terms with City, although the clubs were still working on the transfer terms.
The same report connected the move with Barcelona’s pursuit of Rodri. Barcelona are said to have had an initial €45m proposal rejected and would need to improve their offer, while City are reportedly preparing for the prospect of losing the 30-year-old, whose contract has one year remaining. Neither club has announced an agreement over either player.
A major midfield decision
Bouaddi’s age is central to why this would be such a significant piece of business. A fee in the region reported would represent a substantial commitment to a player at the beginning of his senior career, rather than a short-term replacement bought solely for established output.
City’s reported plan is nevertheless to bring him into the first-team group immediately. That suggests the club see his development as compatible with competing now, not as a long-term project to be parked away from the senior side. The challenge would be considerable if Rodri leaves: replacing a midfielder who has anchored City’s play cannot rest on one new arrival, particularly one still learning the demands of English football.
The reporting also points to a broader reset in the middle of the pitch. Bernardo Silva’s experience has already departed, according to the Guardian, while Elliot Anderson joined from Nottingham Forest last month. Bouaddi would therefore be part of an overhaul rather than an isolated addition.
The Rodri connection remains unresolved
There is an understandable football logic to City seeking another central midfielder while interest in Rodri persists. Yet Bouaddi’s signing, if completed, would not automatically mean Rodri is leaving. Clubs often strengthen positions before sales are concluded, especially when a player’s contract situation can shape negotiations.
Equally, the reported price gap is notable. Lille’s valuation of Bouaddi is far higher than Barcelona’s reported opening offer for Rodri. That contrast underlines how City could be making two distinct decisions: investing heavily in a young midfielder they believe can become a central figure, while separately determining what value would justify selling an established one.
Barcelona’s ability to raise funds may also affect the situation. The Guardian reported that a sale of Ferran Torres, who has been linked with Paris Saint-Germain, could assist their pursuit of Rodri. Until those moving parts become clearer, the proposed City-Lille deal and a potential Rodri transfer should be treated as connected possibilities rather than a completed chain of events.
Why Bouaddi fits the reported rebuild
A recruitment strategy built around Bouaddi and Anderson would move City towards a different midfield profile: younger players with scope to grow into responsibility over several seasons. That approach can help preserve continuity after senior departures, but it also places pressure on coaching and squad balance.
Reports identified Enzo Maresca as City’s new manager and said he wants Bouaddi involved straight away. If accurate, the incoming coach would have to decide how rapidly to hand meaningful minutes to a player arriving with a major fee and considerable expectations attached.
There is also a practical issue beyond transfer values. Rodri’s possible exit would remove not only a specialist holding midfielder but a proven organiser. A new signing can bring talent and energy, but tactical authority is usually built through time, familiarity and repeated high-pressure matches. City may therefore need contributions from several midfielders rather than expecting Bouaddi to reproduce Rodri’s role immediately.
A deal still to complete
For now, the most advanced element of the story appears to be City’s pursuit of Bouaddi. Source reports agree that Lille’s midfielder is close to becoming a major City target, but the details remain unconfirmed by the clubs and a final agreement has not been announced.
The outcome will shape the interpretation of City’s summer. Completing the deal would signal confidence in Bouaddi’s potential at an unusually high price for his age. Whether it also marks the beginning of Rodri’s route to Barcelona depends on negotiations that, according to the reports, still have distance to travel.