Tottenham told how much it would take to sign Bilal El Khannouss after transfer update
Tottenham have learned how much it would take to sign Bilal El Khannouss from Leicester City in the closing week of the transfer window.
Thomas Frank is keen to add a creative midfielder to his options this week with James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski set to be absent until at least the new year.
Spurs had looked set to sign Eberechi Eze, before Arsenal stole the midfielder away with a last-minute hijack last week.
Morgan Rogers is another name mentioned at Tottenham, but Daniel Levy would be required to part with a large sum for the 23-year-old.
Instead, Spurs have been encouraged to sign El Khannouss, who could become Frank’s answer to Bryan Mbeumo in North London.
Leicester City set £35million asking price for Bilal El Khannouss
El Khannouss enjoyed a strong start to the Championship season, providing two assists as Leicester beat Sheffield Wednesday on the opening day.
The midfielder was signed by the Foxes last summer, arriving from Genk in a deal worth around £21million.
But after a season in which Leicester were relegated from the Premier League, El Khannouss was expected to move on, with a £24.5m release clause inserted into the contract he signed upon his arrival.
| Bilal El Khannouss | Premier League 2024/25 |
| Appearances | 32 |
| Goals | 2 |
| Assists | 3 |
That clause reportedly expired on 15 August, but interest from clubs in the top flight, including Spurs, Leeds United, and West Ham, was maintained.
Crystal Palace looked to have stolen a march, however, and were close to agreeing a deal that would see El Khannouss replace Eze at Selhurst Park.
But Rob Dorsett reported on 26 August that the deal has collapsed, with Leicester now unwilling to consider bids below £35m after solving their issues with the financial rules by selling James Justin and Kasey McAteer.
Bilal El Khannouss would provide cheaper option for Tottenham
With Levy clearly demonstrating the existence of available funds for transfers in the final week of the window, a £35m signing may feel underwhelming.
El Khannouss is not a talent to be sniffed at, with the midfielder showing great promise in the Premier League last season.
But for Frank, who is hoping to complete an overhaul of Spurs’ league form last season, a talent for tomorrow may not be exactly what the Dane had in mind.
Sign up for the daily Tottenham News newsletter on Substack and our new WhatsApp channel to have all the latest, breaking Tottenham Hotspur news sent straight to your phone.