Aston Villa ‘to hijack Sunderland transfer’ amid El Khannouss update
Aston Villa must accelerate their approach as they are falling behind in the transfer market.
The Claret and Blues have only signed two senior players in 34-year-old goalkeeper Marco Bizot and 19-year-old Yasin Ozcan, who could head out on loan, so far this summer.
This is a far cry from previous years during Unai Emery’s reign, and the Villans are rapidly losing ground on their Premier League rivals.
Villa will have to be far more aggressive in the transfer market in the coming weeks, and could look to hijack Sunderland’s move for Bilal El Khannouss after a recent update.
Villa keeping tabs on El Khannouss as Sunderland stall
Villa have been linked with a move for El Khannouss following Leicester City’s relegation from the Premier League.
The Morocco international was one of the few bright sparks in the Foxes’ difficult season, showing moments of creativity and flair both from the left and attacking midfield positions.
| Competition | Appearances | Goals | Assists | Minutes Played |
| Premier League | 32 | 2 | 3 | 2,197′ |
| Domestic Cups | 4 | 1 | 2 | 233′ |
The 21-year-old acclimatised well in his debut year in the English top flight and has been targeted by a handful of Premier League teams, including newly-promoted Sunderland.
The Black Cats have been the most proactive in exploring a deal, but as reported by journalist Loic Tanzi (21 July), the Mackems are trying to negotiate a deal below his £22.5million release clause.
Nottingham Forest and Monaco are also interested in El Khannouss, while Villa remain in the hunt for the midfielder and can now hijack Sunderland’s approach to bring the talented youngster to B6 by agreeing to pay the £22.5m which the Black Cats seem reluctant to hand over.
El Khannouss could be exciting for Villa
On the surface, signing a player who did not completely outshine his teammates in a side that was relegated does not have the feel of an exciting signing.
El Khannouss’ direct goal contributions, both at Leicester and previously at Genk, do not stand out either. However, he has plenty of room to grow while already having 21 senior caps to his name.
The Moroccan is comfortable with the ball at his feet and can escape from tight spaces, while also possessing a good turn of pace.
Under Emery’s tutelage, El Khannouss has many raw elements that could be nurtured into an exciting player for Villa, and he could be worth a gamble.
Sign up for the Villa News WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking Aston Villa news sent straight to your phone.