Manchester City are edging closer to bringing in Lille's Ayyoub Bouaddi as they prepare to lose Rodri, with the Spanish midfielder closing in on a £65million move to Barcelona.
With less than two weeks remaining before the summer transfer window closes, City are bracing for a busy period of activity, and finding a replacement for Rodri has become an urgent priority for new head coach Enzo Maresca.
Rodri was absent from City's squad in their recent outing at Cardiff, having only rejoined training on Friday following an extended break after the World Cup and a period of recovery from minor back surgery. Despite his limited involvement, it now looks increasingly likely that the 27-year-old has already played his last match for the club, with his switch to Barcelona expected to be completed in the coming days for a fee in the region of £65million.
Rather than waiting for that deal to be finalized, City are already moving to secure his successor. According to a report from the BBC, the Premier League champions are in advanced discussions with Lille over a deal for 18-year-old midfielder Bouaddi, and are hopeful of wrapping up the transfer before their opening league fixture against Bournemouth.
The same report suggests Lille are valuing their academy product at around €100million (£85million), a substantial fee that City would look to partially offset using the proceeds from Rodri's departure to Barcelona.
Speaking about the ongoing negotiations, Maresca acknowledged Bouaddi remains a Lille player for now but stressed the importance of bringing in reinforcements quickly given the imminent start of the new Premier League campaign.
"He is still a Lille player," Maresca said when asked about the midfielder. "But any new signing as soon as they arrive, it's better [for us], because we have the Premier League starting in one week."
Bouaddi would represent City's second midfield addition of the summer, following the arrival of Elliot Anderson earlier in the window. The club had also made an attempt to sign Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez in a deal worth £120million, but that move fell through after they missed the relevant deadline.
The departure of Rodri would mark the end of an era at the Etihad Stadium, given the influence the Spaniard has had on City's midfield in recent seasons. His move to Barcelona, should it be confirmed as expected, would represent one of the marquee transfers of the summer, with the Catalan club securing one of the most accomplished defensive midfielders in European football.
For Maresca, however, the focus is firmly on the present and ensuring his squad is properly equipped heading into the new campaign. Bringing in a promising young talent like Bouaddi, viewed as one of the most exciting prospects to emerge from Lille's youth system, would give City both an immediate contributor and a long-term investment in the middle of the park.
With Deadline Day fast approaching, City's business is far from finished, and further incomings and outgoings are expected as Maresca looks to shape his squad ahead of the season opener against Bournemouth.
Based on reporting from Standard Football.