Arsenal and Manchester United told to pay £100 million to sign FIFA World Cup star

× Premier League giants Arsenal and Manchester United have been told to pay a fee of around £100 million to sign breakout FIFA World Cup star Ayyoub Bouaddi. Ad The 18-year-old, who plays for French side LOSC Lille at club level has turned heads with his exceptional displays for Morocco at the World Cup. With his impressive press resistance, pin-point passing, elite ball-carrying ability and high footballing IQ, he has been a workhorse for the Atlas Lions in the middle of the park.

A bevy of top European sides, including Arsenal and Manchester United, have showcased an interest in signing Bouaddi. With his new contract (signed in December 2025) set to expire in 2029, Lille valued him at around £70 million. Ad Trending However, the club's chairman, Olivier Letang, has raised the asking price for Bouaddi.

He justified his decision by comparing the youngster to other midfielders who have moved in this transfer window, such as Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali. Letang said (via The Standard): "When I see (Elliot) Anderson move to Manchester City for £116 million and Tonali to Tottenham for £100 million, and they don't have the potential for development that Ayyoub has because he possesses unique qualities. I have a price in mind, and we'll see what happens."

Ad Besides Bouaddi, Arsenal are also interested in Newcastle United's Bruno Guimaraes, Bournemouth's Alex Scott and AS Roma's Manu Kone. Conversely, other midfielders on Manchester United's wishlist include Scott and his teammate Tyler Adams, Borussia Dortmund's Lukas Nmecha and Real Madrid's Aurelien Tchouameni. "I cannot answer" - FIFA World Cup breakout star Ayyoub Bouaddi's comments amid Arsenal and Manchester United interest After Morocco's opening game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a 1-1 draw against Brazil, young midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi was asked about his future destination.

Ad While the 18-year-old was already on the radar of top European sides like Manchester United and Arsenal prior to the FIFA World Cup, his performances at the tournament further cemented their interest in his services. Following his stellar display against the Selecao, the Atlas Lions star addressed the rumours while speaking to David Ornstein of The Athletic. Bouaddi said (via GOAL): "For the moment, I am only focused on the World Cup and I cannot answer to this right now.

Of course, I'm really happy to know that some clubs are interested in me. But, for now, I’m only focused on the World Cup with Morocco and we will try to give everything to do our best."Bouaddi's Morocco recently beat Canada 3-0 in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

In the quarter-final, they will face the winner of the game between France and Paraguay. × Was this article helpful? Thank You for feedback Quick Links More from Sportskeeda Edited by Aaryan Nagraj Premier League giants Arsenal and Manchester United have been told to pay a fee of around £100 million to sign breakout FIFA World Cup star Ayyoub Bouaddi.

Ad The 18-year-old, who plays for French side LOSC Lille at club level has turned heads with his exceptional displays for Morocco at the World Cup. With his impressive press resistance, pin-point passing, elite ball-carrying ability and high footballing IQ, he has been a workhorse for the Atlas Lions in the middle of the park. A bevy of top European sides, including Arsenal and Manchester United, have showcased an interest in signing Bouaddi.

With his new contract (signed in December 2025) set to expire in 2029, Lille valued him at around £70 million. Ad Trending However, the club's chairman, Olivier Letang, has raised the asking price for Bouaddi. He justified his decision by comparing the youngster to other midfielders who have moved in this transfer window, such as Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali.

Letang said (via The Standard): "When I see (Elliot) Anderson move to Manchester City for £116 million and Tonali to Tottenham for £100 million, and they don't have the potential for development that Ayyoub has because he possesses unique qualities. I have a price in mind, and we'll see what happens." Ad Besides Bouaddi, Arsenal are also interested in Newcastle United's Bruno Guimaraes, Bournemouth's Alex Scott and AS Roma's Manu Kone.

Conversely, other midfielders on Manchester United's wishlist include Scott and his teammate Tyler Adams, Borussia Dortmund's Lukas Nmecha and Real Madrid's Aurelien Tchouameni. "I cannot answer" - FIFA World Cup breakout star Ayyoub Bouaddi's comments amid Arsenal and Manchester United interest After Morocco's opening game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a 1-1 draw against Brazil, young midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi was asked about his future destination. Ad While the 18-year-old was already on the radar of top European sides like Manchester United and Arsenal prior to the FIFA World Cup, his performances at the tournament further cemented their interest in his services.

Following his stellar display against the Selecao, the Atlas Lions star addressed the rumours whil