Despite his obvious quality, Bilal El Khannouss did not do enough to help Leicester City remain in the Premier League. The Morocco international arrived on Filbert Way with a weighty price tag and an even heavier reputation. Though his flashes of brilliance were far too fleeting to counteract a slide that ultimately condemned the Foxes to the drop. It is a source of immense frustration for the King Power outfit's loyal faithful, precisely because the raw materials are so visibly there.
​Bilal is technically skilled, along with physically and mentally tough enough to somewhat flourish in the English top flight. In a landscape that routinely breaks lesser talents, El Khannouss possesses the deceptive upper-body strength and psychological steel to withstand the frantic, unforgiving nature of the English game. Returning to, and thriving in, that division is his apparent long-term ambition. A burning desire to conquer the stage where he previously faltered.
Leicester City news and good riddance to a questionable professional
​Consequently, VfB Stuttgart better have a good release clause, because they are essentially another stepping-stone in the attacking player's eyes. The Germans may believe they have secured a cornerstone for their future, but in the modern ecosystem of hyper-ambitious footballers, they are merely a launchpad for grander European designs.
"VfB Stuttgart have completed the permanent signing of Bilal El Khannouss, converting his loan from Leicester City that began last summer."
That permanent switch is now confirmed; Stuttgart triggered the buyout clause to absorb him into the Bundesliga. ​In the wake of this finality, the narrative shifts toward closure.
All of Bilal's silly, selfish, annoying and petulance behaviour is forgotten and now irrelevant - similarly to his slightly disappointing spell with LCFC! Bewitching, it was not. The histrionics, the agitations for an exit and tempestuous outbursts are swiftly relegated to history.
The city moves forward into a new dawn, and El Khannouss walks his own path. Both parties unburdened by a marriage that promised the world but delivered only a fleeting, bittersweet glance at what might have been.