Everton are pressed for time if they’re to land a highly-rated Championship playmaker for his release clause price.
David Moyes admitted back in January that he would look to recruit from the Championship, as he believes it’s home to a plethora of future Premier League stars.
“We continue to look closer to home, which is the Championship,” the Everton boss explained, via the Sunderland Echo.
“Last year, the Championship produced some incredible players like (Morgan) Rogers, (Adam) Wharton, (Jaden) Philogene possibly. The Championship is always a place we should be looking to see.”
With that said, Moyes is exploring a deal to sign Tyler Dibling from Southampton and he’s also had a look at another second-tier star.
Leicester City playmaker Bilal El Khannouss.
Photo by James Holyoak/MB Media/Getty Images
Everton have just hours left to activate Bilal El Khannouss’ release clause
Everton have a number of Leicester City players on their radar, with Abdul Fatawu emerging a target for Moyes this week.
James Justin is of interest to the Toffees, too, and a move could accelerate ahead of the Leeds United game due to Jarrad Branthwaite’s injury.
Moyes has also had a look at Bilal El Khannouss, who is widely regarded as one of the best young playmakers in Europe.
MORE EVERTON STORIES
El Khannouss’ £30m release clause actually expires tonight, so there could be a late scramble among a number of clubs to get a deal done.
It remains to be seen if the Toffees get involved, but Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace, Sunderland, Leeds United and Aston Villa are all circling.
El Khannouss’ impressive underlying data
Despite operating in a struggling Leicester side last season, El Khannouss still managed to create a whopping 42 chances in the Premier League, as per FotMob.
The 21-year-old started the Championship opener against Sheffield Wednesday and registered two assists.
The Morocco international looked far and away the best player on the pitch, along with his teammate Fatawu.
Whether Moyes still wants a creative midfielder after the arrival of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, remains to be seen, but there is a unique market opportunity for a player with bags of potential here.