Everton and Newcastle United are keen on signing 22-year-old Moroccan international Bilal El Khannouss from Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart this summer.
According to a report by Sky Sports Deutschland, two Saudi Arabian clubs are also interested in Bilal El Khannouss. However, the update adds that “one of the potential deals are in their final stages yet”, though the 22-year-old playmaker could leave VfB Stuttgart in the final days of the ongoing transfer window, with the Bundesliga club demanding €50-60 million to part ways with him.
An update by TEAMtalk has presented a fixed valuation, which incidentally falls within the range mentioned by the Sky Sports Deutschland report, with Stuttgart setting a price tag of €57 million. Also, per TEAMtalk, Newcastle United have established contact to discuss a possible deal for the Belgian-born midfielder.
Bilal El Khannouss and his time in Germany so far
Bilal El Khannouss has made significant progress since joining VfB Stuttgart from Leicester City last summer. Reluctant to play in the EFL Championship in the 2025/26 season, the 22-year-old moved to the Bundesliga club on a season-long loan deal and enjoyed a productive campaign with Die Schwaben.
The Moroccan international, who represented Belgium in age-group football before picking the Atlas Lions as his national side, has scored nine goals and provided seven assists in 42 outings for VfB Stuttgart thus far. However, despite completing a permanent move to MHPArena, his long-term future remains uncertain, and a Premier League return may be on the cards.
Explaining the Everton, Newcastle United interest
Everton’s interest in Bilal El Khannouss is understandable. The Toffees are scouring the market for a versatile playmaker, as they have yet to complete a permanent move for Jack Grealish despite the relentless links. That has created a productivity gap in the final third, with the creative responsibility falling solely on Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s shoulders. El Khannouss has thus emerged as a viable target for Everton.
As for Newcastle United, the Magpies hold a long-standing interest in the Belgian-born player. The continued interest makes sense, as with Matthias Jaissle utilising a 4-2-3-1 formation, they need a specialist who can reprise the no. 10 role. With El Khannouss having previous experience in the Premier League, he should not take long to settle down at St. James’ Park.
With Newcastle United establishing contact for a deal, they appear to be ahead of Everton in the race for the €57 million-rated Moroccan international playmaker’s signature. The Tyneside outfit appear to be ahead in establishing contact for a deal this summer.