Liverpool transfer news: Reds 'send scouts' to watch record-breaking 17-year-old amid Arsenal competition

Liverpool and Arsenal have reportedly joined the ever-growing list of clubs interested in signing record-breaking Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi.

The 17-year-old was already understood to have caught the eye of Manchester United, whom the Red Devils received 'glowing reports' on when they sent scouts to monitor his progress.

Bouaddi made Lille history in October 2023 when he made his debut for Les Dogues at just 16 years and three days old in a Conference League match, becoming the youngest player to ever appear for the 2020-21 Ligue 1 champions in a competitive game.

Furthermore, the teenager also became the youngest player to play in any European club match across the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League, and he has only been on an upward trajectory since.

The 2007-born lynchpin has already made 57 appearances for Lille in all tournaments - providing three assists - and he has won five caps for the France Under-21 team.

Liverpool, Arsenal 'send scouts' to watch Lille's Bouaddi

However, Bouaddi is now in the final two years of his contract at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy and is unsurprisingly being courted by several European clubs, including a pair of Premier League heavyweights.

According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool and Arsenal are now rivalling Man United for Bouaddi, whom the Reds and the Gunners have also sent scouts to run the rule over.

None of the Premier League clubs is at the head of the queue, though, as the report claims that AC Milan are currently the best-positioned to strike a deal for the youngster, who celebrates his 18th birthday next month.

Man United, Arsenal and Liverpool are supposedly 'fearful' of Milan pipping them to the post, but the trio must also be wary of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion.

Furthermore, Lille have not given up hope of tying Bouaddi down to a new long-term contract, although such a move may just be in order to protect his value rather than a genuine attempt at fending off interested parties.

Could Liverpool, Arsenal, Man United sell any midfielders in 2026?

As Liverpool splashed the cash in attack this summer, Arne Slot did not bolster his midfield ranks, although the Premier League champions do have 18-year-old talent Trey Nyoni coming through into the first team.

Nevertheless, a spot could still open up for Bouaddi at Anfield if one or both of Wataru Endo and Stefan Bajcetic depart at the end of the season; both players are out of contract in 2027, although the latter may be given more chances to prove himself following a nightmare period with injuries.

On Arsenal's end, it would be a surprise to see any of Mikel Arteta's lynchpins leave the club in 2026, although Christian Norgaard - who is yet to play a competitive game for the Gunners due to injury - is not a long-term option.

However, Man United could make room for Bouaddi by offloading the likes of Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo, the latter of whom is apparently being lined up for a summer move to a La Liga giant.