From Creil hills to City’s £85.7m gamble: the making of the next Rodri

From the steep one‑in‑13 hills above Creil, where 18‑year‑old Ayyoub Bouaddi rode his bike past classmates, to Manchester City’s £85.7 million purchase that brands him the next Rodri', the contrast between humble origins and lofty expectations is stark, even as he once debated before Brigitte Macron.

From Creil hills to elite academy

There’s a one‑in‑13 gradient in the hills above Creil, 40 miles north of Paris, where Bouaddi grew up. His father, a Moroccan‑born bank executive, former handball player and deputy mayor of Creil in the 2010s, introduced him to gymnastics at three, then swimming and tennis before football took hold. His mother worked as an HR manager in the aeronautical industry, providing a stable family environment.

Bouaddi joined the AFC Creil academy at five and spent nine years there, impressing staff with his ability to read the game. Coach Arman Doue Diop recalled promoting him to the Under‑15 side while still an Under‑11, calling him “the general” who organised “soldiers” around him. The local club later nicknamed him ‘El Jefe’ and ‘the brain’, and his reputation spread across the Oise valley.

Academic brilliance and debating on the Elysee

Beyond sport, Bouaddi excelled academically, skipping grades alongside his three sisters and earning a place in a mathematics degree after outstanding baccalaureate results. The headteacher of his Creil primary school once said, “Ah, the Bouaddis! A name to make you smile!” reflecting the family’s scholastic reputation.

At 15, he entered the opulent Elysee Palace to debate before Brigitte Macron on whether “the end always justifies the means”, showcasing the articulacy that has become part of his public image.

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Manchester City’s £85.7m gamble and future expectations

Manchester City signed the 18‑year‑old midfielder for £85.7 million, making him the most expensive export in French club history and prompting comparisons with City’s departing midfielder Rodri. The club sees him filling the deep‑lying midfield role that Graeme Souness describes as visionary. The transfer was chronicled by IAN HERBERT, DEPUTY CHIEF SPORTS WRITER, in August.

His first Champions League appearance came against Real Madrid in October 2024, a 1‑0 victory in which he mis‑placed only one pass out of 44, a performance he later likened to Luka Modric’s intelligence, saying, “The use of the outside of the boot, his vision, his intelligent positioning… he’s at the very highest level.”

Some French observers worry the £85.7 million price tag and the expectation to become the next Rodri may be premature; a British source who has brought many players to the Premier League said, “I just hope he doesn’t get burned and that it’s not too soon for him.” France Football analyst Dave Appadoo added that “it’s not a good moment for Manchester City. Pep Guardiola has gone and they are under construction.”

Bouaddi, who represented France at every youth level, chose to play for Morocco, a decision that has sparked a national inquest into the loss of a home‑grown talent. France U21 coach Gerald Baticle praised his intelligence, saying it “simplifies the game and allows him to read all midfield positions.” Lille’s president Olivier Letang noted the club will receive an additional half‑million euros (£430,000) in development fees, while club president Slimane Layadi recalled that Bouaddi grew up idolising Kevin De Bruyne and English football.