Leicester City may receive a lift in their efforts to retain star midfielder Bilal El Khannouss, with Crystal Palace reportedly shifting their focus to Club Brugge forward Christos Tzolis.
Following a lackluster campaign last year that saw Leicester relegated to the Championship, El Khannouss was a rare standout in the team, emerging as their treasured asset that they are reluctant to lose.
However, with Premier League clubs showing interest, it may be challenging for Leicester to reject offers.
The 21-year-old made an impressive start to Leicester’s Championship season in their pursuit of an immediate return to the top tier, displaying his flair by contributing two assists in the Foxes’ opening match at home against Sheffield Wednesday.
However, he was substituted by Marti Cifuentes at half-time during Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Preston North End, having lost possession eight times in a lackluster first half.
Leicester City’s prospects of retaining Bilal El Khannouss improve as Crystal Palace alter transfer strategy:
Despite numerous links to his services this summer, there is a possibility that Leicester may keep one of their key players. The Athletic reports that Crystal Palace are now considering other options as an alternative to El Khannouss.
David Ornstein has stated that after Palace approached Leicester City to sign El Khannouss, the London club have now turned their attention to Club Brugge’s Christos Tzolis as a potential replacement, should England international Eberechi Eze depart this summer.
Tzolis has prior experience in England with Norwich City, but his stint was underwhelming after transferring from PAOK Salonika in 2021, featuring in just 27 league matches and scoring a single goal before being loaned to Fortuna Dusseldorf.
The Greek forward has revitalized his career, however, netting 24 goals in 35 appearances for the German side and performing equally impressively at Club Brugge in Belgium last season, with 16 Jupiler Pro League goals and 10 assists from the left wing.
As Palace redirect their focus to Tzolis, it will undoubtedly boost the optimism of everyone at Leicester City regarding retaining Moroccan playmaker El Khannouss.
Bilal El Khannouss staying at Leicester City would be a major advantage for Marti Cifuentes:
Leicester secured El Khannouss from Belgian club Genk on a four-year contract for a fee around £21m.
Having joined Leicester after being named the Belgian Pro League’s Young Player of the Season in 2023, the Moroccan arrived at the King Power with high expectations, being one of the club’s headline signings upon their return to the Premier League.
Despite the club’s disappointing season, El Khannouss provided moments of brilliance for the Foxes’ supporters, most notably in their 2-1 away victory over Spurs, where he scored a delicately placed goal from outside the box, clinching the win and capturing the admiration of Leicester fans.
Hopefully, Foxes supporters can continue to witness such moments at the King Power, bolstered by this transfer development from Crystal Palace, though other clubs may still make a move for the North African star before the September 1 deadline.
Leicester’s determination is likely to be challenged, but for now, they can feel a bit more at ease.