The 18-year-old is one of the most coveted young players in Europe, with Real Madrid, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Bayern Munich all having been linked in recent months, but City have moved to the front of the queue.
Crucially, Manchester City want the teenager in their squad immediately. Other interested clubs have proposed signing Bouaddi and loaning him straight back to Lille for the coming season, but the Etihad hierarchy would rather integrate him into their first team from day one.
Prising him away will not come cheap. Lille are demanding a minimum of €100m following the Morocco international's World Cup exploits, and Bouaddi is expected to make a decision on his future in the near future.
The midfielder was one of the breakout stars of the tournament, anchoring the Morocco midfield as the Atlas Lions marched to the quarter-finals. He particularly impressed in the group-stage draw with Brazil, more than holding his own against one of the tournament's strongest midfields. Remarkably, his international career is only two months old. Bouaddi made his Morocco debut in May, having snubbed the chance to represent France, the country whose under-21 side he had previously captained.
At club level, the teenager has already amassed 96 senior appearances for Lille, contributing four assists, and his contract with the Ligue 1 club runs until the summer of 2029, leaving them under no pressure to sell below their valuation.
City's midfield is in transition following Bernardo Silva's departure, and the club have already spent heavily on Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest. With question marks hanging over several other senior midfielders, Bouaddi is viewed at the Etihad as an investment in both the present and the future.
Lille, for their part, stand to bank the biggest sale in their history if their valuation is met, and the coming days should reveal whether City are willing to go that far for one of world football's brightest teenage talents.