Bouaddi says yes, Lille not budging
Ayyoub Bouaddi has reached a full verbal agreement with Manchester City (1) (5). The 18-year-old Lille midfielder has given his green light, and City are in pole position ahead of several other clubs monitoring the situation (1). But a fee is still not agreed. Lille president Olivier Létang has issued a public denial, and the gap between the clubs shows no sign of closing (5). This one has a long way to run.
Mubama makes his case in Maresca's first game
Divin Mubama may have played himself into Enzo Maresca's plans. City drew with Inter Milan in Maresca's first pre-season match in charge, a game technically lost on penalties (3) (4). Benjamin Pavard equalised for Inter with a right-footed strike (4). But the story was Mubama, who impressed enough to raise the question of whether he sticks around this season rather than heading out on loan (3).
Modric 2.0 lands in Portugal
A former City player has been dubbed 'Modric 2.0' after joining a Portuguese club, described by Spanish outlet Marca as the 'chico para todo', the guy for everything (6). No name confirmed in the report, but the versatile midfielder is being cast as the creative heartbeat of his new side.
Fan reactions
The Bouaddi news has split opinion on the City subreddit. Some fans see a potential Rodri successor in the making and are already dreaming of a long-term midfield core built around him. Others are more cautious, pointing to the Létang denial and the unresolved fee as a reminder that verbal agreements mean little until the cheque clears. Read the full thread.
