It feels as though Liverpool were in danger mere months after their Premier League title victory in 2024/25 of letting that domestic dominance slip.
With the long-awaited sacking of Arne Slot, and subsequent arrival of Basque manager Andoni Iraola, hope has been restored – Liverpool are now in talks to sign a major World Cup breakout star.
They will rival Arsenal for the player’s signature, as they shed the old guard and turn to rising talents to lead the Reds’ next project forward.
Liverpool to sign major 2026 World Cup breakout star, rivalling Arsenal for Morocco international’s signature
Ayyoub Bouaddi is on his way to becoming one of the world’s finest midfielders, at just 18 years of age. (Image credit: Getty Images)
Liverpool are no strangers to the perks of African brilliance – they just saw the end of a stellar nine year reign from the Premier League’s greatest ever, Mohamed Salah.
Elsewhere, the Reds appear to be trying with all their might to see the arrival of Ivory Coast’s Yan Diomande as his replacement this summer.
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But who better to target than the reigning Africa Cup of Nations champions? According to transfer experts Fabrizio Romano and TEAMTalk’s Graeme Bailey, that’s where they’re looking.
Ayyoub Bouaddi, who featured in FourFourTwo’s ‘The Boy’s A Bit Special’ series, is the target of a Reds raid, and Arsenal.
And his stock has arguably never been higher, a true standout at just 18 years of age against Brazil, showing the world stage that his side’s run to the semi-finals in 2022’s Qatar tournament was no fluke.
FourFourTwo’s Joe Donnohue saw it coming, writing: “In terms of up-and-coming No.6/No.8s across world football, there are few as accomplished on the field as Bouaddi.
“Few appear as capable of making the jump to a higher level… more robust on the floor than most central midfielders, never mind players of a similar age to him,” he continued.
Mohamed Salah left Liverpool this summer, and it’s time for a new Anfield project to get underway. (Image credit: Getty Images)
Of the Reds links, transfer expert Romano stated that both Arsenal and Liverpool have held meetings with Bouaddi’s agent.
The 18-year-old Morocco international, currently a Lille player, will now reflect on which offer stands tall after the 2026 World Cup, with surely much more to give on the largest of international stages.
“A useful bellwether for young players is assessing not how much they get right, but how little they get wrong,” stated Donnohue – Liverpool remain firmly at the table to sign a player whose composure and talent lies far beyond his age suggests.