Manchester City Set to Break Transfer Record with Bouaddi Signing

Ayoub Bouaddi is poised to become the most expensive teenager in Premier League history, as Manchester City reportedly finalizes his transfer from Lille. Reports suggest the Citizens will pay £85.6 million (€100 million) for the 18-year-old Moroccan midfielder. This fee would significantly eclipse the transfers of Leny Yoro and Anthony Martial to Manchester United, as well as Romeo Lavia's move to Chelsea, all of which were around £58 million.

In July 2024, Manchester United paid Lille an initial £52.18 million for Yoro, with an additional £6.73 million in bonuses. Years prior, in September 2015, the Red Devils spent £58 million, including bonuses, to sign Anthony Martial from Monaco.

Nearly three years ago, Chelsea secured Belgian international Romeo Lavia from Southampton for an initial £53 million, with an additional £5 million in performance-related add-ons.

However, these deals pale in comparison to the five largest teenage transfers in global football history:

£165.7 million - Kylian Mbappé, 18 years old - PSG signed him from Monaco on a season-long loan with an option to buy for €180 million (2017-18).

£120 million - Yan Diomande, 19 years old - Real Madrid acquired him from RB Leipzig in a deal potentially worth up to €140 million (2026-27).

£115 million - Jude Bellingham, 19 years old - Transferred from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid for an initial £88.5 million, with bonuses potentially increasing the deal's value to €133.9 million (2023-24).

£113 million - João Félix, 19 years old - Signed with Atlético Madrid, joining from Benfica (2019-20).

£76.5 million - Matthijs de Ligt, 19 years old - Juventus brought him in from Ajax for an initial £67.5 million, with potential additional payments of £9 million (2019-20).