Leeds United El Khannouss transfer latest as Whites move on from Igor Paixão disappointment — YEP 31/7/25
By Graham Smyth
An attacking midfielder from a side recently relegated from
the Premier League has emerged as a possible Leeds United transfer target.
Leeds United have made enquiries over a possible transfer
deal for Leicester City's Bilal El Khannouss.
The Belgium-born Morocco international is an attacking
midfielder whose profile has met with Leeds approval as they search for
difference-making quality in their final significant signings of the transfer
window.
Still just 21, El Khannouss has played the vast majority of
his career thus far in a central attacking role but has featured occasionally
on the left.
He joined Belgian side Genk in 2019 and made nearly 100
appearances, scoring four goals and picking up 14 assists before a £21m move to
Leicester City in August of last year.
Known for his passing ability and progressive ball carrying
but not so much a goal threat, El Khannouss struggled to create as dangerously
as he did for Genk in a struggling Foxes side in the Premier League last season
as they returned to the Championship, but still made more big chances than any
other Leicester player.
In terms of chances created, his 42 for the season put him
well ahead of his team-mates.
His accurate long passing was an eye-catching feature of his
role as he started 27 games of the top flight season, scoring twice and picking
up a trio of assists.
El Khannouss was also second only to Stephy Mavididi in
successful dribbles per 90 and showed, as he did at Genk, an appetite to get
stuck in when the opposition had the ball.
Reports of a £24.5m release clause
Reports suggest a £24.5m release clause would help any side
looking to get the youngster out of the King Power Stadium this summer.
Leeds were unable to get a number 10 in last summer's
transfer window and though they have set up in a 4-3-3 for much of pre-season
so far, Daniel Farke wants to be flexible with his approach in the top flight
and could still utilise the 4-2-3-1 formation that featured so heavily en route
to a Championship title.
Earlier this week Leeds lost out on one of their 'stretch'
targets as Brazilian winger Igor Paixão opted for a move to Ligue 1 side
Marseille and Champions League football. Leeds were willing to put a deal worth
a total of €35m on the table, which Feyenoord agreed to accept.
The player's camp also indicated to the Whites that their
terms would be agreeable, but despite a plethora of senior Elland Road figures
making their case to the attacker he gave Marseille more time to reach a deal
with Feyenoord and the French outfit duly obliged with an offer that was closer
to what Leeds had put forward.
The Whites are considering their options at left wing after
the Paixão disappointment.
Club sources have told the YEP that there is no desire to
jump straight into another deal and suggested that any new signing must be of a
sufficient quality to relegate Farke's current options to the bench.
