The fairytale rise of Bilal El Khannouss is rapidly curdling into a cautionary tale of burning bridges before they are even built. Plucked from relative obscurity and handed a golden ticket to the Premier League by Leicester City, the gifted but troubled Moroccan playmaker was handed stardom on a silver platter. The Foxes invested not just capital, but the kind of nurturing environment at the world-renowned Seagrave that few young prospects receive.
Reality bites
However, that investment has yielded a bitter return. Reports portray a player who effectively disowned the club that elevated him. He even allegedly threatened to 'down tools, disgustingly, to force an exit.
Although, that is a gamble that jeopardizes his professional reputation: in football, talent is a commodity - but trust is the currency. By prioritising a move over loyalty with aggro, El Khannouss has left LCFC fans with a sense of profound disrespect.
Outspoken
The situation has been compounded by what many see as unfounded, unnecessary critiques of the LCFC organization. Yet, the grass hasn't proven greener in Germany ('was für eine überraschung!').
"Bild have a report focusing on the 21-year-old’s recent performances and question ‘what’s wrong with him?’"Sport Witness
While on loan at Stuttgart, his rhetoric has remained bafflingly dismissive. Bizarrely, he also hinted that his true desire was Newcastle United or a 'bigger' Premier League stage. Comments made while currently drawing a paycheck from, and inadvertently belittling, the Bundesliga side.
What next for Leicester City exhile Bilal El Khannouss?
Now, with his form dipping and his temporary manager now publicly questioning his output, Bilal's bravado and his safety look increasingly hollow. High-level sport does not condone such perceived narcissism, especially when the on-field product fails to justify the off-field noise.
"When Bild approached the coach to ask for an explanation, he didn’t hold back.Stuttgart manager Sebastian Hoeneß
“I wasn’t satisfied with his performance. We felt we needed to inject some fresh impetus. That was the reason for the substitution,”"
An awkward and unintended return to King Power Stadium may now loom. Ironically, City could use his technical spark at the moment. But few Foxes will be eager to welcome back a player whose ego seemingly outweighs his output.