Ayyoub Bouaddi

Ayyoub Bouaddi is a Moroccan international midfielder who emerged from Lille’s academy and established himself in senior football as a teenager. Comfortable receiving possession under pressure, he combines composure, tactical awareness and progressive passing with the ability to contribute defensively. After making 96 appearances for Lille, he joined Manchester City in August 2026 on a five-year contract.

Bouaddi is a technically composed midfielder who can receive the ball close to his defenders, find passing angles and help his team progress through the centre of the pitch. He is comfortable playing as a deeper midfielder and can contribute to possession-based build-up. His game also includes defensive work, including interceptions, recoveries and duels. Rather than relying on spectacular individual actions, he focuses on making useful decisions, keeping possession moving and helping his team maintain its midfield structure.

At Goat Arena, Bouaddi is a player to assess through development as well as immediate output. His passing under pressure, positioning, ball recoveries, defensive awareness and ability to adapt to the Premier League will be important indicators of his progress. Because he is still young, evaluations should distinguish his current performance from his long-term potential.