Manchester City's move for Ayyoub Bouaddi was no knee-jerk reaction to Rodri leaving the club, director Hugo Viana has explained.
Rebuilding an engine room after iconic departures requires meticulous long-term planning and unwavering conviction in recruitment.
Viana made this much known as he addressed club media channels about the signing of 18-year-old Morocco international Bouaddi.
He revealed that the teenager had been tracked for over a year before they decided to bring him to the club this summer.
Bouaddi attracted significant interest and looked like he was going to remain at Lille, at a point, before he joined Enzo Maresca's side in an £86 million (€100m) deal.
Hugo Viana Provides Insight Into Bouaddi Pursuit
Viana revealed in his interview that the club had an obsession with Bouaddi since he was 17 years old.
He stated that they had approached Lille president Oliver Letang prior to the youngster's participation at the FIFA World Cup this summer, which exposed the world to his talent.
They had identified him as their primary target to fill the deep-lying midfield role, and knew that they had to be decisive in order to sign him.
“Since the beginning [we were obsessed]. We’ve followed him for the last year and had a conversation with the President of Lille before the World Cup.
It’s a position we thought we could have to be very decisive during this transfer window and Bouaddi was always the target.
He further revealed that speaking with the teenager made the club more interested in signing him, as they gained an understanding of his mental profile and mindset.
"We had a positive conversation with the President of Lille and had the opportunity to speak to him. When you speak with him, you have more desire to bring that mentality to our building.
We were really happy to reach an agreement with Lille. We spoke with them before, but he had a really good World Cup.
“We had very good information on him as a person. It wasn’t easy, but he showed he really wants to be here. It’s a very high ceiling for him.
We all believe he can be a really important player for Man City. If we had to bring a No.6, it will be him because of his calmness and very good with the ball,” he added.
Viana clearly pointed out that the club's pursuit of Bouaddi was the product of extensive scouting across Ligue 1, European competition, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
They watched him very closely over a 12-month period and became convinced that he would be a fit for the role they were looking to reinforce.
Filling Rodri's Void: Why Bouaddi Was City's Primary Midfield Target
Manchester City faced a major overhaul in midfield following Rodri's move to Barcelona and Bernardo Silva's to Real Madrid.
They spent a combined £241 million on Elliot Anderson and Enzo Fernandez, but Bouaddi was the profile they desperately sought to replace Spain international Rodri.
In his interview, Viana emphasized that Bouaddi was always the specific target earmarked for the deep-lying playmaker role.
The youngster has shown impressive press resistance, vertical passing range, and defensive awareness at Lille that made the club certain that he had to be brought in as their replacement for Rodri.
He is being eased in by coach Enzo Maresca, with the presence of several more experienced stars serving as an avenue to carefully get the youngster up to speed with the English game.
His only start so far came in the UEFA Champions League win over FC Porto, where his quality was laid bare for all to see in a 2-0 win for his side.
Lessons for Young Players from Bouaddi's Path
Bouaddi's journey thus far provides significant lessons for young players due to the nature and speed of his ascent.
Young players must prioritise tactical intelligence and learn to use their technical advantage, rather than overly relying on their physical tools.
Bouaddi earned first-team minutes at 16 not by out-muscling opponents, but by mastering positional awareness, body orientation, and quick decision-making under pressure.
Also, young players must understand that performing on the biggest stages earns them the big moves.
Bouaddi showed his quality in the UEFA Champions League and FIFA World Cup by 18, proving that he is capable of handling more responsibilities.
Young players must learn to keep their heads down and work in silence, instead of making a fuss while they try to change teams.
Despite the Manchester City transfer dragging on for so long, the youngster remained calm and eventually got his move without burning bridges back in Lille.
