Leicester City midfielder Bilal El Khannouss is finally set to leave the King Power on deadline as a medical is set for the Leicester man to join German side Stuttgart for a loan deal with an obligation to buy for £26m according to Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett. Jullian Carranza has been lined up as his replacement and is currently undergoing a medical at the club.
El Khannouss has been linked with other sides this window such as two of the three newly promoted sides (Leeds United and Sunderland) with Leeds having seemed to have come the closest out of the two.
However, it is Bundesliga side Stuttgart who are set to obtain the Moroccan’s signature on deadline day to replace the departed Nick Woltemade who joined Premier League side Newcastle United for £65m on Friday evening.
Leicester City bought El Khannouss from Belgium topflight side Genk for a fee around £20m last summer and was the final signing in Leicester’s window last year as the foxes were relegated last season having never really put up a fight in the Premier League last season.
El Khannouss appeared in 32 games for the Foxes last season scoring 2 and assisting 3 as Leicester City as the Foxes look for yet another Championship promotion
The Foxes have had a strong start this season winning 3 of the 4 games played, form similar to their Championship title win in the 2023/2024 season.
Meanwhile, a replacement for El Khannouss seems to not be an issue for the Foxes as Feyenoord forward Jullian Carranza is currently undergoing a medical at Leicester for a loan with an included buy option.
Jullian Carranza missed eleven games for Feyenoord last season due to injury and fitness could potentially prove an issue for Leicester City if he is overplayed. This is most certainly poignant during the Christmas and New Year period where games come thick and fast.
For a side looking for promotion at the first time of asking, keeping a key player fit throughout the campaign with a hit and miss injury record may be imperative.
