It would be difficult for anyone but at 18 it feels monumental, although those who know the Morocco international best would not bet against him. Bouaddi has known only Lille and Ligue 1 but is entering one of the biggest clubs in the world where a season without a trophy is deemed a failure. For someone so young, however, he has plenty of experience.
He made his European debut three days after his 16th birthday and has played three full seasons in the first team, culminating in a place at the World Cup this summer. At 13, Lille beat off competition from France’s elite to sign Bouaddi, after showing his parents the pathway he could follow to the first team. There was never lengthy discussion over money, just what would be best for a boy who wanted to reach the highest level.
Lille’s track record is impressive, the club bringing through Bouaddi’s soon-to-be Premier League rivals Carlos Baleba and Leny Yoro, among others, in recent times. Frison visited the Bouaddi family in Creil, an hour north of Paris, to explain why a move to Lille would be beneficial after scouts spotted Bouaddi playing for his home town team in a tournament. He is not someone who creates highlight reels, but does the dirty work and plays for the team.
Others may have sought someone with more miles in their legs, but Enzo Maresca is rebuilding a midfield for the long term after Rodri’s departure for Barcelona and with a £52m deal agreed for Nico González to join Newcastle. The 23-year-old Elliot Anderson arrived from Nottingham Forest as the first cog in the machine, and Enzo Fernández is also wanted by his former manager at Chelsea. Bouaddi, the only boy of four siblings, passed all his exams a year early, is studying for a mathematics degree remotely and speaks English.
He is a deep thinker, someone able to cut out the distractions at home and on the pitch. His parents didn’t need to push him to do this – he wanted to learn.” Bouaddi represented the country of his birth, France, from under-16 to under-21 and is regarded as a huge loss for Les Bleus. As soon as the tournament was over, I told Les Espoirs [France’s Under-21s] that he should have nothing more to do with me, that he had to continue to progress and go above and beyond.” Rodri has won everything worth winning over the past decade while Bouaddi was growing up.
Emulating the Spaniard will not be straightforward for a player who is a long way from being fully developed. Everyone wants a player who can make the difference individually because they can help you to win the game but you need reliable players who you can trust 100% during 60 games of the season. And Ayyoub, he’s this kind of player.” Bouaddi has consistently mixed with – and surpassed – older players, quickly improving as he rapidly went through each step to the top.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
