Lille announced on their official website on Sunday that they have extended the contract of its France U21s international defensive midfielder wonderkid Ayyoub Bouaddi.

According to Lille's official statement, Bouadi has signed on a new long-tem four-year deal which runs until the summer of 2029.

After completing his contract extension procedures, in an interview with Lille's official website, Bouaddi said: "I am very happy and proud to extend my contract with Lille, my boyhood club. This club has given me so much and contributed so much to my development. The people here are like a big family, and I am very grateful to them. Everyone has helped me grow, and I hope this support will continue."

"I also want to thank the fans for their support. I remember in the beginning, things weren't always so smooth in my first few games, but they were always there for me. So, I chose to extend my contract to repay them; it's my duty."

With this contract extension, all rumours claiming that Bouaddi had agreed to join Arsenal, Manchester United, or Real Madrid in January 2026 have been dispelled.

About Ayyoub Bouaddi

Bouaddi, who is only 18 years old, was born on October 2, 2007, in Senlis, France. He is 1.85 meters tall and plays as a defensive midfielder. He holds dual French and Moroccan citizenship.

Bouaddi joined the youth academy of non-league club Creil at the age of 5. In 2021, he joined Lille's youth academy and completed his Lille first-team debut in October 2023 in a UEFA Conference League match. At 16 years old, he became Lille's youngest ever to make his debut for the club.

Since his debut, Bouaddi has made 73 appearances for the Ligue 1 side in all competitions so far, providing 4 assists. During which, he has helped the club reach the Coupe de France Round of 16s twice, the UEFA Conference League Round of 16s once, and the UEFA Conference League quarterfinals once with the club.