Real Madrid will attempt to sign 19-year-old Moroccan international Ayyoub Bouaddi from Manchester City next summer.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Adam Wharton and Martin Zubimendi are also on Real Madrid’s wishlist. The Spanish giants are eager to bolster their first-team squad by signing a versatile midfielder in next summer’s transfer window, and they have also set their sights on the 19-year-old Manchester City prospect.
Per Fichajes, Zubimendi is the most economical option for Real Madrid, with Wharton also a target within reach for Los Blancos. However, the Merengues are also pushing for an ambitious target, though the report suggests Bouaddi is the most “complicated” candidate on the club’s wishlist.
Ayyoub Bouaddi and his soaring stock
Ayyoub Bouaddi is the latest prodigy from the nation of his birth to rise in prominence. The teenager spent most of his formative years thus far in France and became a regular for LOSC Lille before joining Manchester City this past summer. The 19-year-old has become an asset due to his physical profile and technical ability; those qualities enable him to reprise any role in the middle of the park.
Bouaddi made nearly 100 appearances for Lille, chipping in with four assists. Meanwhile, the youngster has picked Morocco as his national side, and he represented the Atlas Lions in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. At Manchester City, he has made gradual progress, accumulating 377 minutes of game time in eight outings thus far while contributing two assists.
La Liga adventure on the horizon?
Real Madrid wanted to sign Ayyoub Bouaddi in the summer transfer window, but lost the race to sign him, as Manchester City secured his services in a big-money deal. The continued interest is logical, as the Merengues have a significant gap in the middle of the park, having struggled to provide progression from the central areas since Luka Modric and Toni Kroos called time on their stints at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Bouaddi fits the bill, as he can contribute in the final third with his passing ability, having already provided two assists in his stint with Manchester City thus far. Additionally, the youngster retains solidity out of possession, using his physical profile to good effect.
However, as the report suggests, signing Bouaddi from Manchester City will be a tall order, considering he is an investment for the club’s long-term future. Whether they will sell likely hinges on their financial future following the 115-charge scandal, a development Real Madrid will monitor closely.
