How much Leicester City would be open to selling Bilal El Khannouss for as Premier League clubs consider transfer

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Despite needing to sell, Leicester City are still keen on keeping their best players.

Marti Cifuentes has already lost one key asset after Mads Hermansen departed for West Ham United and a number of other first-team players are also heading for the exit door.

Leicester’s financial issues mean that incomings seem unlikely, with the only new face being a 38-year-old Asmir Begovic.

Bilal El Khannouss is one of the players who holds value and Newcastle United are interested in El Khannouss.

Leeds United and Sunderland are also credited with interest and EFL Analysis exclusively reveal what it would take for the Foxes to sell their talisman.

• READ MORE: Championship transfer round-up: West Brom miss out, Tyler Dibling counter-offer, Middlesbrough’s new star

Leicester City will want close to release clause for Bilal El Khannouss

El Khannouss shone against Sheffield Wednesday but missed a penalty in Leicester’s Carabao Cup shootout defeat to Huddersfield Town.

That won’t affect his value and EFL Analysis‘ Chief Football Correspondent Graeme Bailey admitted that there is no clear favourite for his signature, but expects that a deal to sign him would need to be close to his release clause, that expires today (14 August).

He said: “I wouldn’t necessarily think the release clause will be needed, but Leicester will want close to that at least. He’s most likely to go to the Premier League, that’s where the money is.

“I wouldn’t say there is a favourite to sign him at the moment, but there’s a lot of interest from the Premier League.”

Losing Bilal El Khannouss would cause long-term problems for Leicester

Losing the Morocco international in the short-term would help soften Leicester’s financial concerns, as well as trim the squad down.

However, it would make Cifuentes’ job so much harder in the long term.

The quality of players will be much harder to find and due to relegation, they will naturally be of a lower standard in comparison to the 21-year-old.

Instead, it is important for the Foxes to get the deadwood off the books and raise the funds that way.