Liverpool consider Ayyoub Bouaddi as midfield target

Liverpool are reported to be eyeing Lille OSC midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi as a defensive‑midfield option. Manchester United are reportedly pushing to sign Mateus Fernandes, with an £80m offer heading to West Ham United. Fernandes, described as a brilliant midfielder, impressed during a debut campaign for relegated Southampton. His performances have already proven him in the Premier League. The £80m bid targets West Ham United, the club that currently hold Fernandes’s registration.

Arsenal target Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi amid competition

Bouaddi, 18, logged 34 Ligue 1 appearances in the 2025/26 season, helping Lille secure a top‑four finish and Champions League qualification. He recorded a 91 % pass completion rate and won his tackles against Brazil in his World Cup debut. Senior France manager Didier Deschamps has monitored Bouaddi’s progress but did not include him in the final 26‑man senior France squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Liverpool’s need for a defence‑first midfielder makes Bouaddi a comparable‑cost alternative to Fernandes. Real Madrid and Juventus are reportedly preparing substantial summer bids for Lille’s prodigy.