‘In contact’ - £21m winger reveals Newcastle United transfer interest amid release clause snub
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Newcastle United transfer news: Bilal El Khannouss has revealed he had interest from Newcastle United this summer before he switched Leicester City for Stuttgart.
Leicester City winger Bilal El Khannouss has revealed that he was ‘in contact’ with ‘several’ Premier League clubs during the summer transfer window, namedropping Newcastle United among the most advanced in their interest.
El Khannouss impressed for Leicester last season during his first campaign as a Premier League player and it was presumed that he would find a move to another Premier League club during the summer window. However, by the time the Championship season got underway in August, he remained a Foxes player and interest from England’s top-flight had seemingly diminished.
Instead, the Moroccan international would switch England for Germany, joining Bundesliga side Stuttgart on a season-long loan deal which will be turned into a permanent move at the end of the season. That transfer was only completed on deadline day in September and after Nick Woltemade had exited the club to join Newcastle United.
Speaking in a recent interview, El Khannouss addressed rumours surrounding him during the summer and confirmed that he did receive interest from Tyneside, but that the Magpies were reluctant to meet his release clause: “Of course, the Premier League was my priority in the last transfer window,” the Stuttgart man told Fussball Transfers.
“I was in contact with several clubs, and with some I was even in advanced negotiations. But it didn’t work out. As far as concrete offers were concerned, it was mainly Crystal Palace and Newcastle, to a lesser extent.”
“What I didn’t understand, above all, is that it didn’t work out knowing that I had a release clause. No club wanted to pay [it].
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“We managed to find a deal with Stuttgart. And I’m happy even if things haven’t been easy this summer to be honest. It was difficult to find a way out with Leicester that didn’t make it easy.”
Was Bilal El Khannouss the answer for Newcastle United?
During his first, and so far only, Premier League campaign with Leicester City, El Khannouss scored twice and registered three assists following a £21m move from Belgian side Genk. He has improved on those numbers in Germany this season with six goals and three assists in all competitions - including a trio of goals in the Europa League during Stuttgart's wins over Celta Vigo, Feyenoord and Go Ahead Eagles.
Predominantly playing as an attacking midfielder who can also feature on the left-wing, El Khannouss would have offered Newcastle United a new dynamic in attack, but it’s likely that Howe would have been forced to tweak his system to fit him into the side. Newcastle United don’t play with a traditional number ten and are already very well stocked on the left of attack.
Anthony Elanga’s signing plugged a gap on the right, whilst Jacob Ramsey was brought in to strengthen their midfield ranks. El Khannouss may have the technical skills to improve the Magpies and has shown the capability to lift his game at a big club that is playing European football this season, however, it’s unlikely that he would have been given that chance on Tyneside whilst Howe remained married to his favoured 4-3-3 formation.