Manchester City have officially announced the arrival of Moroccan midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille, with the 18-year-old putting pen to paper on a five-year contract that will keep him at the Etihad until 2031. The transfer has been completed and all necessary international clearances have been secured and the Moroccan is joining the English club for £86 million.Bouaddi joins City with a growing reputation as one of the brightest young players in world football. He leaves Lille after making 96 appearances for the French club, while he has already earned eight caps for Morocco at international level.First words from our new Blue 💬🩵— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 26, 2026 His rise through the ranks has been remarkably quick. Bouaddi made his senior debut for Lille in the UEFA Europa Conference League just three days after his 16th birthday and subsequently developed into an important presence in the team's midfield.Following the completion of his move, Bouaddi expressed his excitement at beginning a new chapter in England. "It's a very special day for me and my family." He added: "For me, Manchester City are the best club in the world. It's a dream to be here and to be able to call myself a Manchester City player."The youngster also spoke about his admiration for City's footballing philosophy. "I've watched City for many years, and I love their style of play. The club always try to produce high-quality football, and they have proven to be a team that knows how to win. This club feels as though it was built to achieve victories."🚨🗣️ Zlatan Ibrahimovic on Manchester city signing Ayyoub Bouaddi for €100m:"The transfer market is wild, any player with one good season now will cost you €100m plus, and Manchester city keeps inflating the prices of these players""They will pay €150m for a player with… pic.twitter.com/ZBFPcbLkby— FullTime Report (@FullTimeX_) August 23, 2026 Bouaddi will now have the opportunity to work alongside some of the biggest names in the game and under manager Enzo Maresca. "The team includes world-class players, Enzo is a great coach, and I'm really looking forward to playing at the Etihad Stadium in front of all the fans."Bouaddi further enhanced his reputation during Morocco's run at the latest World Cup. Operating primarily as a defensive midfielder, he stood out for his calmness in possession, intelligent positioning and ability to dictate the rhythm of matches.His performance against Brazil highlighted those qualities. Morocco enjoyed almost 70 per cent possession during the first half, while Bouaddi completed 91 per cent of his passes. He was perfect with all 16 of his attempts in the attacking third, alongside six ball recoveries, five interceptions and nine duels won.He helped Morocco reach the World Cup quarter-finals before their campaign ended with defeat to France.Manchester City have confirmed that Bouaddi will wear the No. 32 shirt, retaining the same number he had at Lille. The Moroccan becomes the club's fourth signing of the summer, following Elliot Anderson, Jeremy Monga and Geronimo Rulli.Now, Bouaddi will look to continue his rapid development in Manchester, with the club's coaching staff expected to help him take another step forward as he begins what could become a significant chapter in his career.EFL CUP – ROUND 2Wednesday21.45: (3.05) Bradford (3.25) Burnley (2.25) 21.45: (1.35) Newcastle (5.30) WBA (8.00) 21.45: (1.25) Tottenham (6.50) Charlton (10.5) 22.00: (6.00) Preston (3.90) Everton (1.52) Thursday21.30: (1.18) Chelsea (6.50) Luton (13.0) 22.00: (1.18) Fulham (6.50) Wimbledon (13.0) ***odds are subject to change***