Sunderland AFC leading Monaco and West Ham in transfer race for £35k-a-week Leicester City star | OneFootball

Leicester City signed Bilal El Khannouss from Genk in the 2024 summer transfer window - but he could now be set to depart

Sunderland have made an approach to Leicester City about the availability of Bilal El Khannouss this summer.

According to L’Equipe, the Black Cats are interested in a deal for the Moroccan playmaker as they prepare for life in the Premier League.

El Khannouss signed for the Foxes last summer in a reported £21 million deal from Genk, signing a four-year contract. As per Capology, a site which provides estimates on player salaries, El Khannouss is earning a weekly wage of £35,000 at the King Power Stadium.

The talented 21-year-old was a key part of their top flight campaign last year and contributed two goals and three assists in the league as Leicester suffered relegation straight back to the Championship with an 18th-place finish.

Sunderland’s Bilal El Khannouss interest

It has been reported that Sunderland are currently leading the chase to sign El Khannouss from Leicester this summer.

However, they face competition from the likes of AS Monaco and West Ham, with a move on the cards in this transfer window.

While the forward is under contract with the Championship side until 2028, it’s believed that he has no interest in playing in the second division.

It’s been claimed that enquiries have been made, with it previously being reported earlier in the summer that a reasonable release clause was inserted into his deal.

It remains unclear what the price of that release clause has been set to, but Leicester paid £21 million to sign him just 12 months ago, which could be indicative of any fee in this market.

Sunderland have already made six signings since earning promotion to the Premier League, and may now look to El Khannouss as their seventh addition.

Leicester’s summer business

Leicester have had a much quieter summer market in comparison to the Wearside outfit so far, with the club yet to make any new additions to their squad.

Impending new head coach Martí Cifuentes will want to assess his current players before jumping in to make any signings.

The likes of Daniel Iversen and Danny Ward have left the club, with Jamie Vardy also departing at the end of the previous campaign.

Leicester’s Championship campaign starts on 10 August with a clash against Sheffield Wednesday.

El Khannouss’ future lies away from Leicester

It’s difficult to foresee El Khannouss playing a major role in Leicester’s bid to earn promotion next season.

The forward showed flashes of real talent in an otherwise difficult campaign for the Foxes, so it’s no surprise he’s attracting some interest.

He is also still only 21, so has the potential to really develop into a top quality player.