Manchester City has secured the signing of Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi for €100m (£86m). The 20-year-old Morocco international, a breakout star at the recent World Cup, joins the Premier League side in a significant transfer.
Bouaddi's move is the latest example of a growing talent drain from French football, driven by the Premier League's increasing financial power and the struggles of most Ligue 1 clubs. Sales from Ligue 1 to the Premier League alone have neared €2bn since the summer of 2021, marking a 150 per cent increase in value over five years.
This season, Premier League spending on Ligue 1 players has already hit a record €447m, with the summer deadline still a week away and a January transfer window to follow. This trend poses questions for French football's status among Europe's top leagues, as clubs increasingly rely on player sales to overseas buyers.