By Sam McGuire
The Foxes appointed Steve Cooper to replace Enzo Maresca after the Italian tactician decided to move to Stamford Bridge to manage Chelsea.
They also parted with a rumoured £20million fee to bring Oliver Skipp to the King Power Stadium from Spurs. We’re almost into April and the midfielder has started just seven Premier League games and has just 773 minutes to his name in the English top-flight. It wasn’t exactly money well spent.
Caleb Okoli arrived from Atalanta, Abdul Fatawu made his loan spell from Sporting into a permanent move, while Odsonne Édouard and Facundo Buonanotte arrived on loan from Crystal Palace and Brighton respectively. The biggest deal of the summer for Leicester, though, was the one to bring Bilal El Khannouss to England.
This one raised a few eyebrows.
The 20-year-old playmaker had caught the eye for KRC Genk in Belgium, the country of his birth. However, he hadn’t really done enough to justify the rumoured £21million that Leicester agreed to pay to secure his services.
During his final season in Belgium, he scored three goals and chipped in with six assists across almost 2,200 regular season minutes. And then no further goal contributions in another 10 appearances following the league split. The Foxes weren’t paying for the finished product. They were paying for potential. It was risky on their part given they had a Championship standard squad for the most part and needed real quality if they were to retain their status as a Premier League club.
It hasn’t gone to plan. Cooper was replaced by Ruud Van Nistelrooy and the former PSV coach appears to be out of his depth. He’s won just two matches in the Premier League in the dugout for the Foxes and they have lost 13 of their last 14 matches in the English top-flight.
Buonanotte and Ayew have been shrewd additions with a combined 10 goals between them. However, it is El Khannouss who is the most intriguing Leicester player this term.
He’s found the back of the net just twice and has a single assist to his name. But his goal involvements come in the two games that the Foxes claimed all three points in under Van Nistelrooy.
El Khannouss assisted Jamie Vardy’s opener and scored himself in a 3-1 victory over West Ham in the Dutchman’s first game in charge. He struck the winner in the 2-1 win at Spurs in January.
He caught the eye in a 2-0 loss to Manchester City, attempting the most dribbles of any player on the pitch (five) and having the highest success rate (80%). He also had a 100% tackle success rate against the reigning champions.
While his performances haven’t been enough to land him into any Team of the Season conversations, bigger teams have taken note of his work rate and quality.
According to reports recently, Lazio are wanting to sign him for €30million this summer while RB Leipzig want to bring him in on loan, possibly to replace the departing Xavi Simons. That alone should be enough for the rest of Europe to realise he’s a talent.
RB Leipzig have an eye for final third players.
There’s also interest in the 20-year-old from within the Premier League. Arsenal are the ‘most interested’ while league leaders Liverpool have him on their radar as they plot an attacking overhaul this summer.
Despite his low attacking returns this term, you can understand why teams might be interested.
In an interview with Sky Sports earlier in the year, Miguel Ribeiro, Genk’s first-team technical and individual coach, heaped praise on the young playmaker, saying: “I used to tell people that he had eyes in his back, because he sees everything. When you watch him, you see he is always checking around him and looking over his shoulders.”
And you can see this now, even in the Premier League.
Despite Leicester’s struggles, and El Khannouss having to adapt to the rigours of the English top-flight, he’s managed to still post encouraging numbers.
For example, this term in the Premier League, he’s completed over 60% of his attempted dribbles. He’s press resistant and a space-creator. Top teams love these profiles in their forward line. He’s also fairly accurate as a passer for someone who is a creator. He can retain possession and progress play – more boxes ticked. Without the ball, he’s a grafter. Again, this is an invaluable trait these days. For the Foxes this term, he’s won over 55% of his tackles and duels, he’s also handy in the air too despite being just 5″11′ and coming up against physical midfielders.
He’s got potential in possession and he does what is required without the ball to fit into a top six team. If he develops as hoped, he could be another Genk academy graduate to dominate the Premier League, just like Kevin De Bruyne.
Leicester’s biggest summer gamble appears to have been their most successful purchase.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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