Credit: Imago

Cameron Smith

Wed 11 March 2026 19:10, UK

Leeds United missed out on a real bargain with Bilal El Khannouss.

The Moroccan was heavily linked with a move to Elland Road last summer, after impressing as Leicester were relegated from the Premier League.

Instead, El Khannouss made a loan switch to Bundesliga outfit VfB Stuttgart, where he has heavily impressed under Sebastian Hoeneß.

German outlet BILD reports that the move is close to being made permanent, for just £15.5million plus bonuses, less than a year after the Whites chased the young attacking midfielder.

Proving vital as Stuttgart compete on all fronts across league, cup and Europe, Leeds missed out on a bargain deal with El Khannouss.

Leeds will regret Bilal El Khannouss decision

Making his home debut against St. Pauli in September, El Khannouss made an immediate impact, scoring his first goal to seal a 2-0 win – a sign of things to come at the Neckarstadion.

After winning the DFB-Pokal last May, Stuttgart were looking for a more comfortable league campaign, after only reaching Europe through their cup triumph.

Die Schwaben sit fourth in the Bundesliga standings, and the Moroccan has been central to this, with eight goals and six assists across all competitions.

Given a licence to roam across central zones and out wide, El Khannouss has proven magnificent in the possession-based system deployed by Hoeneß.

With 2.2 accurate long balls per 90, 2.1 key passes and an 80 per cent pass completion rate per match, the 21-year-old is crucial for ball retention, while his ability in tight spaces has proven vital in tighter encounters – his winner against Heidenheim in October showcases this perfectly.

Then, with 54.3 touches per 90, he is entrusted to be a real difference maker and momentum shifter in the final third, either with the ball at his feet, or with his creative quality, backed up by his six assists across all competitions this term.

Leeds project would have been future-proof with Bilal El Khannouss

While form has dipped as of late, Leeds are currently well-placed to secure their Premier League status following their ascent last May.

Over the summer, the Whites solely recruited players above the age of 25, and it can be argued that this has paid off, with the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Anton Stach performing every week as Leeds battle for survival.

However, the Whites do have big ambitions moving forward, as needs to be the case if they are to avoid the same fate as their last stint in the top flight.

At 21, El Khannouss has serious potential, with his time at Leicester showing enough to prompt interest from Leeds in the first place.

Instead, he is thriving at a club looking to go deep in the Europa League, and are on track for their second cup final in a row alongside probable Champions League qualification.

In a deal set to be worth around £16m, El Khannouss will join the South German side permanently, while Leeds will feel that they missed out on a real bargain last summer.