Manchester City have only gone and smashed the record for a teenager — and they’ve done it for a proper midfield gem.

In what is quite frankly a statement signing, City have completed the capture of Morocco international Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille in a deal worth £85.6m, reports cbinews.tv.

And yes, you read that right. The 18-year-old now stands as the most expensive teenager in Premier League history.

Let’s break it down, because the numbers are wild.

City will pay £81.4m upfront with a further £4.2m in add-ons. Bouaddi has put pen to paper on a five-year deal, subject to international clearance. That fee eclipses the £58.9m Manchester United shelled out for Leny Yoro — ironically also from Lille — back in 2024.

So why Lille again? The French club are quietly becoming a talent factory. From Eden Hazard to Victor Osimhen to Yoro and now Bouaddi, they have mastered the art of developing and selling elite youngsters.

And Bouaddi’s story is special.

He made 96 appearances for Lille after debuting in 2023, and at just 16 years and 3 days old, he became the youngest player ever to feature for Les Dogues — coming on against Faroese side KI Klaksvik in the Europa Conference League. Most of us were doing GCSEs at that age. He was pocketing Real Madrid’s midfield in the Champions League in 2024.

If you watched this summer’s World Cup, you’ll know the name already. He started five of Morocco’s six games as the Atlas Lions marched to the quarter-finals, looking completely at home on the biggest stage of all.

Speaking to cbinews.tv after the deal was announced, Bouaddi said:

"This is a very special day for me and my family. Manchester City are, for me, the best club in the world. It's a dream to be here and be able to call myself a City player.

I have spent most of my life working hard to become the best player I can be and reach the top of the game.

I've watched City for many years, and I love their style of play. City always try and play quality football. And they have shown they are winners - this club feels like it's built to win."

The move comes amid a huge midfield overhaul at the Etihad under Enzo Maresca. City have already banked £65m from Rodri’s surprise switch to Barcelona and £52m from Tijjani Reijnders’ move to Saudi side Al-Qadsiah. On the flip side, they’ve splashed a staggering £116m to bring England international Elliot Anderson in from Nottingham Forest.

It’s shaping up to be a fascinating new-look engine room. Bouaddi is that deep-lying conductor — calm on the ball, press-resistant, always half a second ahead of everyone else — while Anderson gives you that relentless box-to-box energy and can also sit as a six for England. They could complement each other beautifully.

City aren’t done there either. Cbinews.tv understands the club are weighing up an offer for Chelsea’s Argentina World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez, though with the 25-year-old valued at £120m, that one will take some serious negotiating.

It’s been a busy week all round. Brazilian winger Savinho — now known simply as Savio — has joined Tottenham in a £75m deal, while Spurs have also agreed a loan for City’s Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush. Spain midfielder Nico Gonzalez, meanwhile, looks set to join Newcastle in a £52m deal.

From a £1.5m Lille academy prospect to an £86m Premier League record-breaker in two years. That is some rise.

Source: cbinews.tv.

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