Manchester City appear on the verge of completing a deal for Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, a signing that could pave the way for Rodri's departure to Barcelona this summer.
According to reports, the 18-year-old Morocco international has already agreed personal terms with City, though negotiations with Lille over the transfer fee are still being finalised. The French club are said to be valuing their academy graduate at around €100m, which converts to roughly £85m — a substantial fee for a teenager, reflecting the growing esteem in which Bouaddi is held across Europe.
New City boss Enzo Maresca is reportedly keen to have the young midfielder available immediately, integrating him into the first-team squad without delay. That timeline would see Bouaddi potentially involved as City begin their season against Arsenal in the Community Shield this Sunday, before their Premier League opener at home to Bournemouth on 23 August.
The pursuit of Bouaddi is closely tied to City's ongoing saga with Rodri, who has been strongly linked with a move to Barcelona. The Spanish champions have already seen an opening bid of €45m rejected by City last week, but they remain confident of eventually striking a deal and are expected to return with an improved proposal. Barcelona's finances for the deal may hinge on the departure of Ferran Torres, who has reportedly attracted interest from Paris Saint-Germain — a sale that could help fund the move for Rodri.
City appear to have accepted that Rodri, 30, is likely to leave the Etihad, with just a year remaining on his current contract. Should Bouaddi's transfer go through, he would slot into a reshaped midfield alongside Elliot Anderson, who joined City last month from Nottingham Forest in a £116m deal. That midfield unit will look markedly different next season following the departure of the experienced Bernardo Silva.
Elsewhere in the transfer market, Manchester United have registered interest in Leicester City teenager Louis Page. The 18-year-old midfielder is reportedly attracting competition from Arsenal as well, though United are said to be optimistic about winning the race, with suggestions that Page himself favours a switch to Old Trafford.
In other United news, Marcus Rashford has rejoined the club for their pre-season training camp in County Kildare, Ireland, having taken a break following his involvement at the World Cup with England. The 28-year-old forward spent the last season and a half away from United on loan spells, first at Barcelona and then at Aston Villa, following a well-documented breakdown in his relationship with club executives and former head coach Ruben Amorim.
With tensions having eased since that period, Rashford is reportedly now focused on working under current manager Michael Carrick as United look to rebuild for the upcoming campaign. However, sources suggest a permanent departure before the transfer window closes has not been ruled out entirely, leaving his long-term future at the club still somewhat uncertain despite his return to training.
Both City and United appear to be navigating significant squad rebuilds this summer, with high-profile departures potentially balanced by shrewd investment in younger talent as pre-season preparations intensify ahead of the new Premier League campaign.
Based on reporting from The Guardian.