Trained at Lille and transferred to Manchester City in summer 2026, 19-year-old midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi chose Morocco over France. His progress fuels regrets in French football.
On this 21 October 2026, Ayyoub Bouaddi’s performances in the Champions League and the Premier League continue to cause ripples in France, according to Football Écologie France. Trained at Lille, the midfielder was transferred to Manchester City in summer 2026 for a fee the press estimates at between £80m and £86m, according to Foot01.
Born in Senlis, he nevertheless chose to represent the Lions of the Atlas rather than the France team. A starter at the 2026 World Cup with Morocco, he became a key part of the national team at 18 and already has 10 caps.
A choice that weighs on the Federation
Hubert Fournier, National Technical Director of the French Football Federation, described the choice as a major loss for the FFF. He acknowledges that no other player had a profile like Bouaddi’s. “It’s a big loss for our federation. But it’s his choice. He came through all our youth teams. But we couldn’t offer him the chance to play at the World Cup at the moment.”
Didier Deschamps, former France head coach, had judged the player not quite ready for the France team in spring 2026, an episode that sealed his switch to Morocco, according to Foot01.
Sports pundit Pierre Ménès believes Deschamps’ decision weighed heavily: “I think the fact that Deschamps told Bouaddi he wouldn’t be playing at the World Cup, when obviously Morocco were holding out their arms to him, obviously weighed with all its force.”
Praise in Morocco and Manchester
Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi praised his midfielder’s intelligence and vision in the Lions of the Atlas engine room.
In Manchester, City manager Enzo Maresca said he was fully won over by his midfield metronome’s maturity.
Across the Channel, Rio Ferdinand publicly regretted that Manchester United had not beaten the Citizens to signing the Morocco international.
City expected to deliver against AEK
Manchester City face AEK Athens on Champions League matchday 3, before returning to their upcoming Premier League fixtures.