Tottenham Hotspur have had a mixed summer so far when it comes to landing creative attacking players.
Even Fabrizio Romano believed that they had their Morgan Gibbs-White deal over the line at one stage, before Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis muscled in and called the move off, handing him a new contract, despite the midfielder’s release clause being met.
Spurs fared better in their pursuit of former West Ham man Mohammed Kudus, who Thomas Frank will be able to call upon next season following the forward’s £55m move.
Tottenham to war with Arsenal, Newcastle and more for no.10
Chairman Daniel Levy isn’t done there, having spied what may be a cheaper deal for a player currently with one of last season’s relegated sides.
But he will need to battle old rivals Arsenal first, with boss Mikel Arteta having already given his go-ahead for his superiors to go and land the same player over two months ago.
According to TBR Football, Spurs have entered the race for Leicester City playmaker Bilal El Khannouss, with Newcastle United also keen.
The Morocco international registered five Premier League goal involvements last term as part of a struggling Foxes outfit, and while he couldn’t save the club from relegation, the 21-year-old is still tipped for big things. He expects to leave the King Power Stadium this summer, according to the same report.
The trio of Premier League clubs are joined by Leeds United and West Ham in their interest, with RB Leipzig, Eintracht Frankfurt, Monaco, Atalanta and Valencia watching on from the continent.
Journalist Graeme Bailey, who broke news of Spurs’ interest, said: “El Khannouss is a fascinating player – very similar to Rayan Cherki in terms of talent. Many clubs rate him as one of the finest technicians of his generation.”
In FourFourTwo’s view, with the suitors mentioned and the talent El Khannouss has shown at such a young age in the top tier, it’s clear he cannot remain at Leicester for another season.
Their relegation reduces their bargaining power, which could lead to a cut-price offering and makes El Khannouss a market opportunity for a Premier League side, even if they’re not desperate for a player in that position.
If Spurs have the chance to make a cheap move for the Moroccan, they’d be wise to go for it.
El Khannouss is valued at €28m, according to Transfermarkt.
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