Manchester City have signed 18-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille for £85m, tasking the Morocco international with the daunting job of filling the void left by Rodri, widely regarded as the world's best central midfielder, following his move to Barcelona. Despite his youth, Bouaddi is no novice, having made his European debut just days after turning 16 and having gone on to make three full seasons in Lille's first team before earning a place at this summer's World Cup, and those who worked closely with him at Lille believe his intelligence and temperament make him well suited to the step up.

Those close to Bouaddi describe an unusually studious and disciplined character: he passed his exams a year early, is remotely studying for a mathematics degree, speaks English and reportedly spends downtime playing chess rather than gaming or watching videos. Lille signed him at 13 after seeing off competition from bigger French clubs, and he later represented France at youth level before choosing Morocco internationally. At City, he arrives as part of a broader midfield rebuild under Enzo Maresca that has already brought in Elliot Anderson, with Nico González departing for Newcastle in a £52m deal and Enzo Fernández also linked.