Bilal El Khannouss’s short stay in the East Midlands was tumultuous to say the least. In an inconsistent season, he looked like a bright spark among a divided Leicester squad. City, of course, fell to relegation, which left El Khannouss likely to leave. Despite this, he still featured in the Foxes’ opening two games, though he was dragged off at half-time against Preston. The Moroccan international then went on to say he would sit in the stands for the whole season if he didn’t get his move. This eventually led to an agreement with Stuttgart, who have now made the move permanent.
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Leicester City Star Set for Early Departure
Bilal El Khannouss Set to Complete Transfer to Bundesliga
When talking to German outlet BILD, Stuttgart Sporting Director Fabian Wohlgemuth was asked for an update on the Moroccan’s move. He said: “Yes, that’s correct. I can confirm that. All the conditions have now been met. We are delighted that we have secured Bilal’s permanent commitment to VfB Stuttgart.” The news comes swiftly after the midfielder became an Africa Cup of Nations Winner with Morocco.
In terms of the deal, BILD believes the German side will owe Leicester around €18 million plus potential bonuses. This is on top of the initial €3.5 million loan fee for the 2025/26 season. El Khannouss has had a positive first season in the Bundesliga, which makes the confirmation of the deal no surprise. In all competitions, he’s already managed 12 goal contributions, a move in the right direction after just eight for the Foxes.
The initial move from Genk to the East Midlands was for a fee in the region of £21m. As a result, City will be breaking even on this deal, which may be a slight disappointment given the potential that the 21-year-old has. However, he was desperate for a move late on in the window, which certainly hurt the club’s bargaining power, especially as they still contend with the Profit and Sustainability regulations.
How Does This Affect Leicester?
With the Foxes residing in the Championship relegation zone, the money coming in from Stuttgart will be more than welcome. A rebuild in either the Championship or League One is on the horizon, so having the finances to make changes is necessary. The summer will be incredibly important this season, especially as so many players are set to depart. The likes of Patson Daka and Jordan Ayew are both out of contract, whilst others like Wout Faes or Harry Winks may have ambitions to play elsewhere. Therefore, the El Khannouss exit seems like just the start of wholesale change.
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Overall, it’s not a shock to see the move now confirmed. The buy option was in place, and the player made it clear he had ambitions beyond Leicester’s current ceiling. When looking back at his season in the Premier League, he proved to be an excellent playmaker, even if the output wasn’t quite there. Very elegant when in possession, and was one of the only City players to make things happen last season. He would facilitate build-up, provide good set-pieces, whilst also being a threat with his progressive passing.
Ruud Van Nistelrooy also saw these strengths during his stint in the hot seat. He said: “He can go very far. He has the potential to become a top player in the Champions League.” Ultimately, It’s a shame it didn’t work out in the East Midlands; the right player at the wrong time.
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