Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City are now ready to sign Ayyoub Bouaddi and loan him back to LOSC Lille.
Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City are now willing to accept Lille’s preferred buy-to-loan arrangement for 18-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi, per TEAMtalk. The three Premier League clubs have softened their initial stance on the highly-rated LOSC Lille midfielder in an effort to strengthen their chances of signing him.
The youngster’s rapid rise has attracted interest from several elite clubs following a breakthrough campaign that enhanced his reputation both domestically and on the international stage.
Lille are understood to be open to selling Bouaddi this summer, although the Ligue 1 club have outlined a clear preference regarding the structure of any potential deal. Rather than losing the teenager immediately, Les Dogues would ideally like to complete a permanent transfer before welcoming him back on loan for the entire 2026/27 season.
Such an arrangement would allow Lille to collect a permanent transfer fee while retaining Bouaddi for one more season, where they will be competing in the Champions League. It would also give the Moroccan international additional time to continue his development in a familiar environment before making the leap to one of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Premier League trio to battle for Bouaddi’s signature
Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City initially hoped to integrate Bouaddi directly into their first-team squads. However, recognising the intense competition and Lille’s preference for a loan-back structure, all three clubs are now reportedly willing to accept the French club’s proposed arrangement if it improves their chances of securing his signature.
The shift in approach underlines just how highly Bouaddi is regarded among Europe’s elite clubs. At Arsenal, he would strengthen their midfield rotation and compete with Martin Zubimendi. City see him as an option to help fill the void left by Bernardo Silva, and he could also provide cover to Rodri, who has struggled with injuries of late.
As far as Chelsea are concerned, he is the perfect fit for their youth-oriented project. With Enzo Fernandez’s future up in the air after comments by Javier Pastore, the 18-year-old, who has been on fire at the World Cup, would be an ideal replacement. While he only had one goal contribution last season, the impact he had in his 42 outings was incredible.
Despite being 18, he was helping Lille control the tempo of games, a quality that is rare for a player of his age. The player himself is understood to be relaxed about the situation and open to multiple outcomes. For Arsenal, Chelsea and City, the willingness to compromise demonstrates the value they place on securing one of the continent’s most exciting young midfielders.
