Debt‑laden City bets on 18‑year‑old Bouaddi as Rodri departs

Manchester City, mired in debts and injury woes under new boss Enzo Maresca, prepares for its Premier League opener against Bournemouth, while simultaneously securing 18‑year‑old Ayyoub Bouaddi as the designated replacement for departing captain Rodri in the midfield ahead of the season.

Since the end of the 2025/26 campaign, the club has endured a forced reshuffle, losing Rodri, Tijjani Reijnders, Bernardo Silva, John Stones, Nathan Aké, Max Alleyne, James Trafford, Savinho and Manuel Akanji, among others, creating a roster of gaps that the new era must fill.

Premier League opener and squad turnover

Antes de iniciar a campanha na Premier League neste domingo (23), diante do Bournemouth, City must field a side missing several key figures. Rodri, captain and midfielder of the Spanish national team, did not accept a contract extension that ran until June 2027 and was negotiated to Barcelona in the last week.

The Barcelona move could bring Manchester City up to €76 million, including performance bonuses, as part of the deal that ends Rodri’s tenure at the club.

Bouaddi arrives as replacement

Para assegurar seu substituto, the club announced the arrival of Ayyoub Bouaddi, an 18‑year‑old highlighted for Morocco at the World Cup and a standout at Lille, for a reported fee of around €100 million,

Bouaddi featured in 28 of 30 Ligue 1 matches last season, holds dual Moroccan‑French nationality, and joined City’s pre‑season after the World Cup pause.

If his paperwork is regularised, Bouaddi could make his debut in the next Premier League round against Crystal Palace on Friday (28).

City’s recent spending also includes €135 million for Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest and a total of €235 million on two midfield acquisitions, alongside signings of Jeremy Monga, Gerónimo Rulli and Mathys Detourbet.

The contrast between a debt‑laden balance sheet and a willingness to invest nearly €100 million in a teenager underscores City’s determination to rebuild the squad despite financial constraints.