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Arsenal and Manchester United face a new obstacle in their chase for Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, after recent high-value Premier League transfers have raised his potential price tag.

The Gunners have reportedly held preliminary discussions with the French club regarding a move for the Moroccan youngster, as manager Mikel Arteta looks to strengthen his midfield options ahead of the upcoming season.

Initially, Lille were believed to value Bouaddi at around £70 million. The teenager extended his contract with the Ligue 1 side in December last year, tying him to the club until the summer of 2029.

However, following Tottenham Hotspur’s £100 million agreement with Newcastle United for Sandro Tonali and Manchester City’s £116 million signing of Elliot Anderson, Lille chairman Olivier Letang has hinted that it would now take a similar amount to tempt the club into selling Bouaddi.

Letang stated, “When I see Anderson move to Manchester City for £116 million and Tonali to Tottenham for £100 million, and they don’t have the same potential for growth that Ayyoub possesses, it’s clear he offers unique qualities. I have a price in mind, and we’ll see what happens.”

Speaking earlier this summer to The Athletic about his future, the 18-year-old midfielder commented, “Right now, my focus is entirely on the World Cup. I can’t speak about anything else at the moment. I’m pleased that clubs are interested in me, but my attention remains on performing well for Morocco in the World Cup and giving our best effort.”

Manchester United are also monitoring Bouaddi closely after missing out on Mateus Fernandes, who joined Tottenham in an £85 million deal. The Red Devils are said to be assessing multiple midfield targets, with Bouaddi among them.

United’s shortlist reportedly includes Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni, Bournemouth duo Tyler Adams and Alex Scott, and Borussia Dortmund’s Felix Nmecha, as they continue to evaluate options to reinforce their midfield lineup.