Lille, the club that turned its academy into a business worth nearly €200 million
The sales of Leny Yoro, Lucas Chevalier and Ayyoub Bouaddi show how the French club turned years of development into big-money transfers to three of Europe's giants.
Manchester United, PSG and Manchester City have something in common: they all turned to Lille's academy to strengthen their squads. Between the summers of 2024 and 2026, the French club agreed the sale of three academy products for around €197 million in fixed fees, before bonuses.
Behind that figure is an academy, at the Domaine de Luchin, that brought all three players through for years before watching them leave for clubs with far greater financial muscle.
The three sales
The deals show the size of the business:
Fees reported when each deal was completed.
| Player | Club | Year | Fixed fee | Add-ons | Age at sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leny Yoro | Manchester United | 2024 | €62M | Up to €8M | 18 |
| Lucas Chevalier | PSG | 2025 | ≈ €40M | Yes | 23 |
| Ayyoub Bouaddi | Manchester City | 2026 | €95M | €5M | 18 |
| Total | ≈ €197M |
Leny Yoro, to Manchester United in 2024: an initial €62 million, plus €8 million in potential bonuses. The defender was 18 when he was sold.
Lucas Chevalier, to PSG in 2025: around €40 million, plus add-ons. The goalkeeper left at 23, after playing 127 games for Lille.
Ayyoub Bouaddi, to Manchester City in 2026: €95 million fixed and another five million tied to targets. The midfielder was also only 18 when he was transferred.
The fees reported when those deals closed add up to almost €200 million. That figure reflects the value of the transfers; working out the net profit means subtracting development costs, wages, commissions and other obligations.
Years of development
Chevalier's path helps explain the groundwork. He joined the academy in 2014, worked his way through the youth ranks and was loaned to Valenciennes before returning and making the No. 1 spot his own.
Yoro spent seven years at the club before leaving for England. Bouaddi arrived in 2021 and left with 96 first-team appearances. Their buyers found young players who had already competed at the highest level.
That is Lille's bet: spot talent, develop it and give it enough games that the big clubs want to pay for it.
Sources: Flashscore: Manchester City complete signing of Ayyoub Bouaddi
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