Three new clubs have emerged as contenders for Bilal El Khannouss’s signature with Sunderland said to have made an approach for the Leicester City attacking midfielder.
The Premier League new boys like the look of El Khannouss, according to L’Equipe, and now have a headstart in the transfer race for the Morocco international.
West Ham and Monaco have also been named as interested parties, with the French side eyeing El Khannouss in case one of their current attacking players departs.
A summer transfer is expected for the 21-year-old, who showed his talent and top-level potential during City’s relegation.
City need to adjust their budgets following their fall into the Championship, and making a profit on El Khannouss will help their cause.
The attacking midfielder was signed for £20m on a four-year contract last summer, and so any fee City receive above £15m will count as profit in regards to PSR.
While he made a slow start following his switch from Genk, El Khannouss quickly established himself as one of City’s leading performers once Ruud van Nistelrooy took charge.
He started every Premier League game of the Dutchman’s tenure bar the final-day defeat to Bournemouth, while he recorded three goals and five assists in all competitions, most notably scoring the winner at Tottenham.
In the event El Khannouss departs, City can either turn to the transfer window for a new attacking midfielder, or can look internally.
Jordan Ayew would provide a different type of option in the number 10 slot, while Will Alves came through the ranks as a central attacking midfielder, albeit he’s played wide more often of late.
Seventeen-year-old Louis Page is also rising to prominence, but he is perhaps more of a box-to-box option.
On Saturday, El Khannouss was back in action for City for the first time since last season, playing in the third set of 60 minutes during the 2-1 win over OH Leuven at Seagrave. He will be expected to travel with the team to Austria on Wednesday.
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