Despite the noise surrounding his future, Bouaddi is remaining calm as he navigates his first major international tournament. When questioned about the heavy interest from the Premier League and the possibility of a move to Arsenal, the 18-year-old sensation was careful not to get distracted. He made it clear that while he is aware of the interest, his current priority remains with his national team and their World Cup campaign.
“For the moment, I am only focused on the World Cup and I cannot answer to this right now,” Bouaddi told The Athletic journalist David Ornstein after the match. “Of course, I’m really happy to know that some clubs are interested in me. But, for now, I’m only focused on the World Cup with Morocco and we will try to give everything to do our best.” It was a remarkably mature response from a player who is turning 19 in October and is currently studying for a degree in mathematics alongside his professional career.
