Arsenal Face Dilemma as Man City Lead Race for Ayyoub Bouaddi – Ornstein Reveals €100m Price Tag

Arsenal have been put on red alert after insider reported that Manchester City are now leading the chase for Lille’s teenage sensation Ayyoub Bouaddi, with the French club reportedly hiking their asking price to €100 million (£85.2m). insider sources’s trusted transfer insider claims City manager Enzo Maresca is pushing hard to land the 18-year-old, who has emerged as one of the brightest prospects in world football since breaking into Lille’s first team in 2023. Bouaddi has already racked up 96 appearances for the Ligue 1 side and further boosted his reputation during the summer World Cup, where he helped Morocco reach the quarter-finals. Arsenal had previously opened talks with Lille over a €70m (£60m) deal back in June, according to The Times, but Ornstein now understands the price has jumped significantly. The shift comes in the wake of Elliot Anderson’s €136m (£116m) move from Nottingham Forest to City – making the England international the most expensive British player ever – and Sandro Tonali’s €117m (£100m) switch to Tottenham Hotspur. Ornstein adds that Paris Saint-Germain, the reigning Champions League holders, are not in the running for Bouaddi. Should City secure an agreement, Maresca intends to integrate the midfielder directly into his squad for the 2026-27 season rather than loan him back to France. Meanwhile, Rodri’s future at the Etihad remains uncertain with only a year left on his contract, and speculation around Nico Gonzalez and Tijjani Reijnders has so far lacked concrete reports. Arsenal also hold a strong interest in Bruno Guimarães, with claims that the Brazilian has told Newcastle he wants to leave this summer. The Gunners have reportedly offered €70m (£60m) in initial talks with the player’s camp, but Newcastle insist their captain is not for sale.