Leicester City’s Bilal El Khannouss will leave the Championship club to join VfB Stuttgart on a permanent transfer.
That’s brought by Bild, who cover the latest on the Leicester City player’s future.
The attacking midfielder joined the Foxes from KRC Genk for a reported fee of £21m [€24.3m] in August 2024.
Following Leicester City’s relegation from the Premier League, he left them to join Stuttgart on loan last summer in August 2024.
The Bundesliga side have a conditional obligation to make his stay permanent, as part of the loan deal.
Permanent Leicester City exit
In December, the Morocco international revealed both Crystal Palace and Newcastle United had been showing interest in him. However, the Championship side refused to let him join another English club.
This allowed Stuttgart to swoop in for him on a temporary deal, and now will make his stay permanent.
El Khannouss has played 1,954 minutes from 30 matches [18 in the Bundesliga] in all competitions for Stuttgart, scoring eight goals and contributing four assists.
Bild state the terms needed to make his stay permanent has been achieved, after he made certain number of appearances. In other words, the mandatory purchase obligation is now automatically ‘triggered’.
The report insist these conditions weren’t difficult to fulfil. Since it is now in effect, the German club will have to pay a €18m fee to Gary Rowett’s side. The fee could rise further with bonuses, and the English club have also secured a sell-on clause.
Financial benefit for Leicester City
El Khannouss will sign a contract until 2030. That deal includes a salary of €3m, with it not made clear that’s before or after tax.
Stuttgart have already paid €3.5m as a loan fee to the Championship side. With his sale, the latter will earn an additional €18m, taking the overall deal to €21.5m so far.
This allows Leicester City to recoup the majority of the fee invested to buy the Moroccan two years ago.
The Foxes are now 21st in the table and are going through financial struggles. At this difficult time, the money from El Khannouss’ sale to Stuttgart will be a welcome boost for Leicester City.
Even if the contractual agreements state the entirety of the money isn’t due yet, or first payment delayed until summer, the Championship clubs will be able to borrow against it.
