October 13
Behind-the-Scenes Tactical Considerations
Paris Saint-Germain did not move to secure the signing of Ayoub Bouaddi during the summer transfer window—despite interest from numerous European clubs in the Moroccan midfielder, who ultimately joined Manchester City.
According to French media reports, the Parisian club opted not to pursue the signing of Bouaddi—despite his name having been linked to the team—because the management was satisfied with its existing midfield options and saw no need to reinforce that position during the summer of 2026.
During the 2026 summer transfer window, Paris Saint-Germain decided to bolster their squad by signing five new players: Alessandro Longoni, Lucas Digne, Maghnes Akliouche, Mika Godts, and Ferran Torres.
However, the club opted against signing a new midfielder, despite the Parisian side being linked to several names—including Ayoub Bouaddi.
**A Fully Stocked Midfield**
Bouaddi enjoyed an outstanding 2025–2026 season with Lille and performed well for the Moroccan national team at the 2026 World Cup, attracting the attention of numerous European clubs.
Although the 19-year-old Moroccan’s attributes appeared to suit manager Luis Enrique’s style of play, he was never actually close to joining the Parisian club, despite rumors that had strongly linked him to the team at various times.
Since the spring of the previous year, Luis Campos and Luis Enrique had held a clear vision regarding the positions Paris Saint-Germain needed to strengthen during the 2026 summer transfer window.
Sources indicated that the midfield—where the manager already had several options at his disposal, including João Neves, Vitinha, Ruiz, Warren Zaïre-Emery, Senny Mayulu, and Drew Fernandez—was never viewed as an area lacking depth, either in terms of numbers or technical quality. Beyond the core trio of João Neves, Fabián Ruiz, and Vitinha, the youth of Warren Zaïre-Emery and Senny Mayulu did not prompt the club's management to immediately consider signing a new player.
French media confirmed that Paris Saint-Germain officials intended to focus on developing the potential of this young duo in the short and medium term.
Furthermore, shifting Lucas Beraldo to a defensive midfield role—combined with the versatility of Désiré Doué and Maghnes Akliouche, as well as the promotion of Quentin Ndjantou—provided the Parisian coach with numerous midfield options.
Sources added that the club's officials deemed these options sufficient, a stance quickly communicated to Bouaddi’s inner circle.
Will Paris renew its interest?
The possibility of Paris Saint-Germain moving to sign Bouaddi a year down the line was not ruled out, as the club's management intended to monitor the Lille player's development in the coming period.
However, the massive €100 million offer (including bonuses) submitted by Manchester City to acquire the player put an end to the speculation surrounding his future.
Regarding the possibility of convincing Bouaddi to buy into Paris Saint-Germain's sporting project, French media noted that the player's associates avoided discussing this scenario, simply emphasizing that Manchester City's project had long been the preferred choice.
