Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi has signed a new contract with the club until 2029, ending short-term speculation around his future.
The 18-year-old was linked to Arsenal and Chelsea, but Lille wanted to protect his value and push any eventual transfer beyond €50 million.
The new deal was announced just before Lille’s Ligue 1 match against Marseille, signalling an intent to close the issue before a pivotal fixture.
Bouaddi has developed rapidly since breaking through last year and has become a central part of Bruno Genesio’s midfield structure.
He made headlines when he helped Lille defeat Real Madrid in the Champions League on his 17th birthday, a performance that attracted wider European attention.
Arsenal and Chelsea were exploring an early move, and the timing of the extension appears designed to deter winter bids rather than block summer negotiations.
Sources around Lille believe the club expect significant offers at the end of the season and wanted to enter that scenario with full leverage.
President Olivier Letang said Bouaddi embodied the qualities Lille want to develop and praised his maturity.
The extension buys Lille time in a season where performance, player sales and competitive targets all intersect.
It also sets up a summer in which Arsenal and Chelsea may need to make decisive bids if they want to sign a midfielder who has already shown he can perform against elite European opposition.
