Thomas Meunier criticises market after Bouaddi transfer

Thomas Meunier has challenged the use of transfer fees as a measure of a footballer’s value after Ayyoub Bouaddi’s move from Lille to Manchester City. The Belgian said the scale of modern deals had become detached from sporting logic, even while insisting that Bouaddi’s ability was beyond question.

Bouaddi, an 18-year-old central midfielder with Moroccan and French nationality, joined Manchester City for €100 million. That figure is higher than his listed market value of €80 million at Lille, underlining the gap Meunier believes now exists between a player’s footballing worth and the price paid for him.

Meunier played alongside Bouaddi at Lille during the 2024-25 season and knows the midfielder’s development closely. Bouaddi came through Lille’s youth system after starting at Creil, progressing through the club’s under-17 and under-19 teams before reaching the senior side.

The transfer ends Bouaddi’s latest step in an ascent that attracted interest from Arsenal, Manchester United and Bayern Munich. For Meunier, however, the move is less important as a valuation of the player than as another example of a market where large fees no longer provide a reliable guide to quality.