Bilal El Khannouss departed Leicester City in the summer; after long being linked with a move to the Premier League, he instead joined Stuttgart in the Bundesliga.
The switch is only a loan arrangement with the German side, and there remains a chance that he could feature again for the Foxes next season, especially if they clinch promotion from the Championship.
Nevertheless, the Moroccan international seems content with life in Germany despite initially struggling on the pitch for Stuttgart in the early stages of his stint.
Now El Khannouss has disclosed the reason behind his early challenges in the Bundesliga, highlighting a major contrast between football in England and Germany.
Bilal El Khannouss believes ‘intensity’ is the biggest difference between England and Germany:
The Leicester City loanee has admitted in an interview with Bild the reasons behind his testing spell in the Bundesliga.
El Khannouss feels there is a period of adjustment required when moving from one country to another, and this is true in his case.
He said: “Football in England is different; the intensity is higher, and everything moves a bit faster.
“That’s the biggest difference between the two leagues.
“I’m still getting used to the Bundesliga, but I’ll get there.”
Leicester City should aim to retain the services of Bilal El Khannouss:
While it is not feasible for Leicester City to utilise El Khannouss’ quality this season, with the player out on loan at Stuttgart, it is crucial that they work to ensure he is part of their squad next term.
This will only be achievable if they secure promotion back to the Premier League, a target Leicester are currently capable of meeting as they sit fourth in the Championship.
Their early-season displays have lacked a certain creativity, something El Khannouss would provide, and it is not easy to find a player with his calibre in the transfer market.
It could be an ideal match for both parties, as Leicester seek a creative presence at the start of next season, while El Khannouss aims to compete at the highest level of football; however, it is only possible if the Foxes are playing Premier League football next season and if Stuttgart choose not to trigger their option-to-buy clause.