Manchester City has acted swiftly after their heavy defeat to Arsenal ahead of the 2026-27 Premier League season opener.
On 17 August 2026, BBC Sport reported that Premier League giants Manchester City are rushing to finalize the signing of Ayoub El Kaabi, the standout Moroccan international midfielder from the 2026 World Cup, to strengthen their squad quickly.
Sources say Manchester City is making progress in negotiations with Lille, El Kaabi's Ligue 1 club, aiming to complete the transfer this week. This follows City’s prior sale of Rodri to Barcelona. Lille has set El Kaabi's price at £85.6 million.
Additionally, BBC Sport reports that Manchester City has not abandoned efforts to sign Enzo Fernández, the Argentine midfielder from Premier League rivals Chelsea, despite missing Chelsea's deadline of 14 August to submit an offer of no less than £120 million.
Manchester City identified midfield issues after a heavy 0-3 loss to Arsenal in the 2026 Community Shield, prompting immediate action in the transfer market. They hope to complete reinforcements before the summer window closes on 1 September.
If Manchester City succeeds in signing both Ayoub El Kaabi and Enzo Fernández, it will mark three expensive midfield additions in a single transfer window, following their acquisition of Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116 million.
