Marti Cifuentes has not been coy on the topic of Bilal El Khannouss. The player is one of our best talents, and yet drew a mixture of ire and disgruntlement when his head seemed to drop so early into a vital season for Leicester. Of course, the Spanish head coach’s transfer window is not quite shut, but time is running out to sell an asset and bing in some improvements.
The possible transfer is a vital piece of the puzzle for Leicester City. A sale - hopefully around £30m - would unlock transfer business elsewhere on the pitch, where the Foxes are struggling to make a real impact in the market. Be that a desperately needed striker or more composed defender, there are positions which need improvement.
Additionally, we know there are enough players currently at the club - although it is getting dicey - to fill in the gap and have a competent starting XI in his absence. So, the lack of El Khannouss should not be fatal to the side, but we do need to make the savings and accrued fees count towards something this market should the King Power club have any chance at promotion this campaign.
A new club enters the race
Previously, we knew that Crystal Palace were interested in signing the Moroccan midfielder. In fact, SkyNews had reported the London-based Premier League club were close to signing Bilal El Khannouss last week for a reported fee of around £32m. That fee would sound about right for what Cifuentes’ priorities should be: get a lot of money.
It was partly the expected transfer which led to Marti Cifuentes deciding not to start the star midfielder against Charlton Athletic. The manager instead opted to start youth player Louis Page. In that match Leicester did eventually win, even if it required heroics from Abdul Fatawu to secure the three points. For most of the match, we survived and won without the involvement of El Khannouss.
However, according to recent reports, Tottenham Hotspurs are interested in securing the playmaker as an option with long term injury problems plaguing their midfield. Devoid of quality players such as James Maddison, they need creativity and depth to avoid their failings from the previous campaigns. Leicester’s star would be a smart grab for the Premier League side.
If true, it could tempt the player away from signing with Palace and instead demand a move to Tottenham. To the Foxes, the benefit is that we can ask for more money from the pair of them. Whichever club the Moroccan departs to, we need to get the most out of it. Include the wage savings from all our sales and departures, add the transfer fees for those we have been forced into selling, and the club should be in a much stronger financial position should they gain their promotion.
With the departure of Bilal El Khannouss from Leicester City almost assured at this point, and certainly expected by the vast majority of supporters and pundits, Cifuentes’ team need to up their game. They also need to trust players such as Will Alves and Jake Evans to come into the side and impact the game positively. To me, Alves would surely be a better starter than Louis Page.