Bilal El Khannouss’s Leicester City future could hinge on Eberechi Eze’s potential £60m switch to Tottenham.
El Khannouss is a target for Crystal Palace, but only if they lose star man Eze to Spurs.
That deal appears to be edging closer, and so the chance of the City playmaker moving to Selhurst Park increases.
City want around £30m for the Moroccan, who was always expected to move on this summer as one of the club’s most valuable assets and having proven his Premier League quality last term.
While he has been linked to a host of clubs over the past couple of months, an exit has never looked closer.
The 21-year-old has continued to play for City this season but he was withdrawn at half-time at Preston on Saturday with Marti Cifuentes “not very happy” with his first-half display, the manager explaining that he expects more of his best players.
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At full-time, El Khannouss spent an extended period applauding the City supporters in the away end at Deepdale and was one of the last players to head back to the changing room.
If El Khannouss leaves and City get the £30m fee, then the door may open for their first outfield signing of the summer.
City’s exits so far have not prompted them to dip into the market, with Cifuentes feeling he has the players to cope with the departures of Conor Coady and Wilfred Ndidi.
In goal, where City have lost Mads Hermansen, Jakub Stolarczyk has stepped up to become number one, with Asmir Begovic signed on a free as his deputy.
City have Louis Page and Will Alves to choose from in attacking midfield, while they can also drop Jordan Ayew back, but none have the ability to create like El Khannouss does, and so a new signing may be required.
Over the past few days, City have been linked with Benfica’s Joao Rego. Portuguese outlets say City have enquired about a loan deal for the 20-year-old, who plays in attacking midfield or out wide.
He played 13 senior matches for the club last season, including four in the Champions League, but does not appear to be in their first-team plans this term, and so a move may be possible.
Selling El Khannouss may also give City the financial boost that protects them from having to sell winger Abdul Fatawu.
Fatawu’s appeal to supporters after the defeat at Preston suggested he is committed to the King Power Stadium, but that’s not stopped transfer rumours, with talk in Spain of a rejected £25 bid from Sunderland.
But El Khannouss is not the only player who could leave City. Talks have been held with Leeds over full-back James Justin, who is in the final year of his deal.
However, he hobbled out of the weekend’s defeat and that could yet prevent the transfer from going ahead.
City could perhaps get by without a new signing at full-back should Justin leave, with Ricardo Pereira, Hamza Choudhury and Luke Thomas firmly in Cifuentes’ plans, and with Bade Aluko to call on too.
Woyo Coulibaly does not appear to have a future at City, while Victor Kristiansen’s status under the new manager remains unclear amid the Dane’s injury.
If Harry Winks left, then City likely would need a new sitting midfielder. He’s now been linked to Sunderland after previous reports around Valencia interest.
Like Justin, Winks is into the final year of his contract at the King Power Stadium, increasing the likelihood that City will be willing to let him go.
As far as incomings go, City still want to sign a striker when their finances allow them to. They were linked with League One player of the season Richard Kone before his move from Wycombe to QPR last week.
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