Man City obliterate Premier League transfer record and give Ayyoub Bouaddi legend’s shirt number

Manchester City have made Morocco star Ayyoub Bouaddi the most expensive teenager in Premier League history – by some distance.

The 18-year-old has officially joined City from Lille in a deal thought to be worth £86million.

Getty

It obliterates the previous record fee for a player under the age of 20 in England’s top-flight, previously held by Romeo Lavia following his £58m move to Chelsea in 2023.

Bouaddi established himself as one of the hottest young players in Europe during the 2026 World Cup.

French football fans have known about his talents for some time after he burst onto the scene with Lille in 2023.

“I would say I am a player who plays for the team,” Bouaddi said upon signing for City.

“I am a really collective player.

“I try to put my teammate in the best position and to give everything every time for the team.

“I think the most important aspect is to try to balance the team, [to] help your teammates.

“We know as a No.6 that you’re not going to score 20 goals in a season; well it can happen but it’s quite rare.

“So, you know you have to balance the team and do everything for the team and do your job.”

The Moroccan was handed the No.32 shirt – made famous by City hero Carlos Tevez.

And he revealed now was the right time to make the step up in his career.

“I think it was the right time because I was good in Lille,” the 18-year-old added.

“I felt very good, but I felt it was the right moment to step over.

“I started playing really quite young at six-years-old.

“I was in Creil, a small city in France. Then I went in Lille when I was 14 years old. I played in the Academy and then I started playing with the First Team.

“Then I started playing Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, World Cup. And today I’m here.

Getty

“I am really, really happy – really proud to be here at one of the greatest clubs in the world and I hope everything is going to be right in the future.

“Coming to City I think was the right thing to do and I am really happy and proud to be here.”