Manchester City have splashed out big on a teenager, confirming the signing of Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille in a deal that sets a new benchmark for Premier League spending on young talent.
According to Sky Sports, the fee is worth up to £85.6m in total — a fixed £81.3m plus £4.3m in potential add-ons — making the 18-year-old the most expensive teenage signing in English top-flight history.
Bouaddi, a Morocco international, made his name in Ligue 1 with Lille before catching City's attention, and the club have clearly moved decisively to secure one of Europe's most sought-after young midfielders ahead of the competition.
The deal underlines City's continued willingness to invest heavily in emerging talent as they look to build for the future while remaining competitive at the top level. Further details on personal terms and squad number are yet to be confirmed, but the transfer marks a significant statement of intent from the Etihad hierarchy as they add another highly-rated prospect to their ranks.