Transfer market: why PSG let Ayyoub Bouaddi slip away
According to L’Équipe, PSG never really made a push for Ayyoub Bouaddi. Two factors weighed: an already crowded midfield and Manchester City’s blockbuster offer.
Key takeaways
- PSG did not launch a concrete move to sign Ayyoub Bouaddi.
- Bouaddi ended up heading to Manchester City after City’s €100 million offer with add-ons.
- PSG’s midfield was already crowded with Vitinha, João Neves, Fabián Ruiz, and Paris-trained talents Warren Zaïre-Emery and Senny Mayulu.
- Lucas Beraldo moved to a holding role and Dro Fernandez was earning more minutes, reducing urgency to add another midfielder.
Match sheet
Manchester City 2 – 4 Paris Saint-Germain
· Ligue des champions · League Phase · Etihad Stadium
- 13' Désiré Doué (Paris Saint-Germain) — goal
- 15' Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain) — goal
- 32' Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain) — goal
- 53' Erling Haaland (Manchester City) — goal
- 61' Antoine Semenyo (Manchester City) — yellow card
- 62' Maghnes Akliouche (Paris Saint-Germain) — goal
- 69' Warren Zaïre-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain) — yellow card
- 75' Erling Haaland (Manchester City) — goal
Standings Ligue des champions : 1er, 9 pts (3 j.)
Two-time European champions and chasing a third consecutive crown, Paris Saint-Germain have been busy in the transfer market with several arrivals (Ferran Torres, Mika Godts, Lucas Digne, Maghnes Akliouche, Khalil Ayari). In that context, the name of Ayyoub Bouaddi, a precocious Lille midfielder who has already appeared in Ligue 1 at 16 and is being tracked by many clubs, surfaced in Paris. But the lead never really materialised.
Context: PSG's transfer activity this window
According to L’Équipe, PSG in reality did not launch any concrete move to sign the Morocco international. The player will ultimately head to the Premier League, to Manchester City. Two main reasons explain this missed opportunity.
The missed opportunity: two main reasons
The first relates to sporting strategy. Luis Campos and Luis Enrique had not made midfield a summer priority. That area already looked crowded, with established starters (Vitinha, João Neves, Fabián Ruiz) and Paris-trained talents such as Warren Zaïre-Emery and Senny Mayulu. On top of that came internal tweaks: Lucas Beraldo has been moved into a holding role, a position in which the club has high hopes, while Dro Fernandez is earning more minutes. In these conditions, opening another spot in the middle risked creating a logjam.
Sporting strategy and squad depth
The second reason is financial and competitive. While Bouaddi’s profile fit Luis Enrique’s vision and Paris had monitored his progress, Manchester City’s move changed the equation. The English club made an offer worth €100 million including add-ons, a package that ended Paris’s interest. According to the reports, the player had initially been attracted by a move to Paris, but the Cityzens’ XXL push sealed the outcome.
In short, PSG passed on Bouaddi due to squad planning and market context: a midfield already well stocked and competition ready to invest extraordinary sums. The Paris hierarchy therefore prioritised other needs while staying the course with their sporting project.
Your questions, our answers
Did PSG make a concrete move for Bouaddi?
According to L'Équipe, PSG in reality did not launch any concrete move to sign the Morocco international.
Why did PSG not sign Bouaddi?
Two main reasons: sporting strategy with a midfield that was already crowded, and financial/competitive factors including Manchester City’s €100 million offer.
Where is Bouaddi headed instead?
The player will ultimately head to the Premier League, to Manchester City.