Arsenal have opened preliminary contact over Ayyoub Bouaddi after the 18-year-old midfielder’s emergence on the international stage. Bouaddi, who plays for Lille in Ligue 1, joined the club as a young teenager and made his senior debut in 2023, three days after turning 16.

Although born in northern France, Bouaddi switched allegiance to Morocco less than a month before starting Saturday’s 1–1 draw against Brazil to kick off the team’s World Cup campaign. In that match he covered ground across the pitch, hardly misplaced a pass and routinely won possession back, drawing attention to his technical poise and energy.

The Times writes that Arsenal are in contact with the player’s representatives, the preliminary stage of any transfer process to gauge interest from the prospective target. No talks have yet begun between the Premier League champions and Lille, who are thought to value Bouaddi at $80.5 million (£60 million). That is a sum in the same ballpark as the fee that brought Martín Zubimendi to London last July.

Arsenal’s recruitment pattern this summer has leaned toward raw, developing talent. The club has already been linked to other teenage prospects, with 16-year-old Leicester City winger Jeremy Monga considered the “priority” target for the summer—although Brentford appear to hold an advantage in the battle for his signature.

Competition for Bouaddi is reported to come from Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea. Given his rapid rise through Lille’s ranks and the visibility of his World Cup performances, it is clear why he is attracting interest from multiple big clubs. For Arsenal, the move would fit a broader strategy of investing in young players with high ceilings, even when valuations demand significant outlay.

Yan Diomande produced a standout display as Côte d’Ivoire opened their World Cup campaign with a 1–0 win over Ecuador. The 19-year-old winger, a target for Liverpool, provided a sustained reminder of why RB Leipzig will reportedly demand a fee in excess of $100 million.

From kickoff Diomande was the focal point of the Ivorian attack. He repeatedly beat Arsenal defender Piero Hincapié with bursts of acceleration and direct dribbling, creating multiple clear openings inside the first 20 minutes. A cut inside from the right supplied Elye Wahi with a close-range chance that Hernán Galindez comfortably collected, while a later byline run produced a cut-back that was blocked.

Diomande’s most dangerous first-half contribution arrived in the 37th minute when he evaded Hincapié and supplied a precise pass to Nicolas Pépé near the penalty spot. Alan Franco blocked Pépé’s eventual attempt, denying what was the clearest Ivorian chance of the opening 45 minutes. At halftime Diomande had created three chances, completed two of four dribbles and contributed four defensive actions.

He continued to dictate play after the break. In the 51st minute a run down the right led to a delivery toward Wahi that struck the crossbar. After Manchester United’s Amad Diallo entered in the 56th minute, Diomande switched to the left and forced another opportunity, beating two defenders before sending a shot over the crossbar.

Ecuador adjusted, and the teenager found himself double-marked in the final 20 minutes. His influence dipped in that period, but he still produced the match’s final dangerous action by powering away from Joel Ordóñez and Kevin Rodríguez before feeding Pépé. Diallo’s 90th-minute finish ultimately decided the match, but Diomande was widely the game’s standout player despite not registering a direct goal or assist.

Match statistics
Goals: 0
Assists: 0
xG + xA: 0.55
Accurate passes: 41/51 (80%)
Chances created: 5
Successful dribbles: 4/6 (67%)
Shots: 2
Duels won: 11/15 (73%)
Defensive contributions: 7

Arne Slot admitted he had no issues being viewed as the “bad guy” responsible for Mohamed Salah’s departure from Liverpool this summer. With Slot no longer patrolling the Anfield touchline, speculation has shifted but concrete signs of a reversal remain limited.

Salah is focused on the World Cup with Egypt, yet an international teammate has suggested a possible change of heart. “The prospect of leaving Liverpool has affected Mo psychologically, but the situation might change and he could still stay with the team,” goalkeeper Ahmed El Shenawy insisted to ON Time Sports. “He even told me that he doesn’t know anything about his future yet.”

Liverpool recently named Salah on their retained list, submitted to the Premier League at the end of every season to confirm which players will depart on free transfers at the end of June. Legally, the process of his departure is underway. There is precedent for late reversals: in the summer of 2024 Millwall re-signed veteran defender Shaun Hutchinson less than three weeks after his contract was allowed to expire.

Nonetheless, multiple reports indicate there is little chance of the Egyptian staying with the Reds. Salah’s agent, Ramy Abbas Issa, took to social media to downplay El Shenawy’s comments and to suggest the goalkeeper did not have full detail of negotiations. “Mohamed is doing perfectly fine and neither he nor I prefer to discuss sensitive future plans with people not involved in them,” he wrote. “Both he and I are very private about these things. Yes, people may ask and they may get a standard polite response but that’s about it.”

There is nothing in law preventing Salah from returning to Liverpool, but both parties are understood to have drawn a line under his nine years as a Red and there are currently no suggestions that he could continue beyond this summer. For years a move to the Saudi Pro League has appeared most likely; Salah admitted he came close to making that move before signing a new contract last summer. Interest in Saudi Arabia is believed to remain, while clubs in Major League Soccer and some in Europe are also thought to be options.