Tottenham battling with Arsenal to sign Bilal El Khannouss

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly battling with Arsenal over a deal to sign Leicester City star Bilal El Khannouss, as per transfer journalist Graeme Bailey.

After moving to King Power Stadium from KRC Genk last summer, the Moroccan established himself as a key player in the Foxes’ starting XI last term. However, he failed to help his side survive relegation.

Now, on TBR Football, Bailey says that following Leicester’s demotion to the Championship, Bilal El Khannouss is expected to leave this summer, and Tottenham are interested in him.

Spurs believe the 21-year-old has the ability to play in the Premier League and have been keeping a close eye on his situation before making a potential move.

However, the Lilywhites aren’t the only club interested in him as Arsenal are also weighing up a swoop, while Newcastle United have been keeping tabs on him.

Furthermore, Crystal Palace, Sunderland, Leeds United, and West Ham United are also plotting a swoop for him. So, he isn’t short of potential suitors in this window.

El Khannouss is valued at around £24m by Transfermarkt and still has three years left in his current contract. Therefore, Leicester are expected to demand a sizable amount of money to let him leave.

Battle

El Khannouss is a CAM by trait but is also comfortable on the flank. He is a technically gifted player and has an eye for long-range passing. Tottenham are exploring the market to sign a new No.10 and initially wanted to buy Morgan Gibbs-White from Nottingham Forest.

However, the move has fallen through, and the player has signed a fresh term with the Reds. Therefore, the Lilywhites have started looking at alternative options.

On the other hand, Arsenal are seemingly planning to add depth in the No.10 position, as Martin Odegaard is the only option Mikel Arteta currently has for this role. Ethan Nwaneri is another option, but he is still very young.

El Khannouss is a talented player and possesses high potential. Spurs like signing young players and providing them with the platform to develop. On the other hand, Arsenal have established themselves as one of the Premier League’s title contenders.

Therefore, they can’t give young players time to develop, and they need readymade players to achieve their lofty ambitions. Meaning, Tottenham would be a better destination for El Khannouss over Arsenal if he eventually leaves Leicester.