Crystal Palace remain on the hunt for a replacement for Eberechi Eze. The top candidate to fill the void left by the attacking midfielder who moved to Arsenal was Bilal El Khannouss, the 21-year-old from Leicester.
The London club had reportedly set aside £32 million to secure the Moroccan, though the Foxes were seeking £35 million. According to Sky Sports, the deal was close to being finalized, however, a signing by Leeds changed everything.
Leicester Change Plans for El Khannouss and Frustrate Crystal Palace
The negotiations stalled after Leicester agreed to transfer right-back James Justin to Leeds for £10 million.
Combined with winger Kasey McAteer’s move to Ipswich Town, which brought in another £12 million, the Championship club achieved the financial compliance needed to meet the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules—financial fair play. Club management then decided they no longer needed to part ways with El Khannouss.
The attacking midfielder left Belgian side Genk for Leicester in August 2024 and has established himself as a regular in the squad ever since. He’s been viewed as one of the few bright spots in a poor Foxes campaign in the Premier League, which ended with relegation to the second tier.
He contributed directly to nine goals in 37 games last season and has been involved in two goals from three matches so far this campaign. Among his standout attributes are his frequent involvement in play, strong positioning as a number 10 or 8, and ability to withstand opposition pressure.
Crystal Palace scramble for Eberechi Eze replacement as El Khannouss deal falls through
It’s no surprise he caught Crystal Palace’s eye, with his name also linked to Tottenham in this transfer window.
With El Khannouss off the table, Palace will need to act fast to find an Eze alternative before the transfer window closes on September 1. Yéremy Pino, a 22-year-old winger from Villarreal, is now reportedly the top candidate for the role. Journalist Fabrizio Romano has reported a verbal agreement for the player to leave Spanish football for the English top flight.
Other names mentioned in connection with the Eagles’ attacking options by the English press include Christos Tzolis of Club Brugge and Christoph Baumgartner of RB Leipzig.
This article was originally published on Trivela.
