West Ham have made enquiries about Bilal El Khannouss | OneFootball

West Ham United must bring in midfield reinforcement after losing Mohammed Kudus, and Leicester City ace Bilal El Khannouss is reportedly on their transfer radar.

According to L’Equipe, “Sunderland appears to have a head start, but other clubs have also made enquiries, including Monaco and West Ham.”

El Khannouss has impressed since arriving at Leicester from Genk for £21 million last summer, catching the eyes of suitors like the Hammers.

Leicester City suffered relegation, but he showed flashes of brilliance in his debut Premier League campaign, registering three goals and five assists in 33 appearances.

His technical poise, vision, and ability to operate between the lines make him a valuable asset.

He can comfortably float between the No.10 and No.8 roles depending on the system manager Graham Potter deploys.

West Ham need creativity and guile, especially with Kudus gone and a cloud hanging over Lucas Paqueta due to his pending betting case. El Khannouss stands out as an ideal fit.

He would bring dynamism, forward thrust, and tactical flexibility to a West Ham midfield that too often looked rigid and one-paced last season.

He has ‘unbelievable feet and great vision’ as his former Genk first-team technical and individual coach, Miguel Ribeiro, said.

Leicester will likely demand more than the £21m they paid, but their relegation strips them of much negotiating power.

For West Ham, this could represent a rare opportunity to sign a high-upside, Premier League-proven talent at a reasonable price.

Still only 21, El Khannouss has both time and talent on his side.

If the Hammers are serious about rebuilding their squad to push for European places in the coming seasons, this is the kind of intelligent, long-term signing they must target.

Liverpool attacking midfielder Harvey Elliott is also another on the West Ham wishlist, and like El Khannouss, he would be a fantastic pick-up.

They are both left-footed playmakers who can operate in central or attacking midfield and on the right wing. The Irons need to move quickly to get one of them to East London.