Arsenal have been courting Lille starlet Ayyoub Bouaddi since 2025 – but they aren’t alone.
As one ageing midfielder, Casemiro, struggled in the sweltering heat at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on Saturday, one teenage prospect seemed set on using the fiercely-contested Group C opener as a catwalk to flaunt his quality.
Bouaddi, who snubbed his country of birth, France, pre-tournament to pledge his international future to Morocco, displayed marvellous maturity, positioning and technical quality as he took the fight to Brazil.
Naturally, the attack-minded Atlas Lions were not afraid to flood men forward but there was an element of security when doing so as Bouaddi was capable of holding down the fort.
Les Bleus, who are undeniably short of a top midfielder, must be wondering how they let the 18-year-old anchorman slip through the net given he was captaining their U21s as recently as this year.
The hype train is now in full swing but the truth is, Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta has already made inroads with Bouaddi’s representatives.
These conversations did not take place in the past 24 hours; they are understood to have happened over six months ago as the Italian chief has known Bouaddi was a world-class prodigy for some time.
PSG, Liverpool and Chelsea are also said to have been in touch but given the Premier League champions are actively targeting a new midfielder that can operate as both a No.8 and No.6 as one of their top priorities, don’t be surprised if they motor into pole position swiftly.
West Ham’s £80m asking price for Mateus Fernandes is deemed excessive while Newcastle will also drive a hard bargain for Sandro Tonali, another name of interest to the Gunners.
In many respects, Bouaddi, who could learn from the likes of Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi, is the kind of deal that makes perfect sense for Arsenal as they seek to build a dynasty.
Their star-studded squad is already stacked with big names and Bouaddi would represent an investment for both the future and the here and now.
View 2 ImagesAyoub Bouaddi was excellent for Morocco against Brazil(Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
His scintillating and silky display against Brazil should have provided them with enough encouragement to up the ante.
Midfield partner in crime Neil El Aynaoui was not at his best but that didn’t matter because Bouaddi brought his A Game, marshalling Morocco threw an awkward second half as the Selecao attempted to turn the screw.
Lille were said to want up to £60m before a ball was even kicked at the World Cup. Don’t be surprised if they are charging extra cash on the back of that eye-catching display.
Les Dogues president Olivier Letang has already said he’d be willing to negotiate with suitors, recently telling French TV: “Ayyoub [Bouaddi] extended his contract until 2029, so he has three years left. He’s 18 years old. Where else can he be guaranteed a starting spot in a Champions League team, apart from LOSC? There aren’t many.
“If PSG puts a big money on the table? We’ll talk to Ayyoub about it, to be perfectly honest, because that was also a topic of our discussions.”
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