Eddie Howe left fuming as Newcastle can now sign €60m World Cup star

4 Aug 2026 06:32 BST | 4 min read

Tom Weber | Writer

Multilingual sports writer who specialises in European football and American soccer.

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Newcastle have been presented with the opportunity to reignite their interest in Stuttgart star Bilal El Khannouss.

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The Morocco international is coming off a promising first season in the Bundesliga, which saw him rewarded with a spot on his country's World Cup roster earlier this summer. El Khannouss produced nine goals and nine assists for Stuttgart after joining from Leicester last summer.

The 22-year-old's loan move from the Foxes was made permanent for €15 million at the end of the previous season, and there was plenty of excitement about the impact El Khannouss could have in his second campaign.

Current ETV

Bilal El Khannouss

M, AM (C)

Stuttgart

Bilal El Khannouss

M, AM (C)

Stuttgart

ETV Range

€32.4M - €39.6M

This didn't just come from the club and the supporters but also from the player. El Khannouss appeared to be delighted to stay at Stuttgart and fully focused on the new season.

However, after starting every game for Morocco at the World Cup, the situation and his demeanour have completely changed. On Thursday, Sky Germany reported that El Khannouss was actively looking to leave Stuttgart, and it has now been reiterated that he is "open" to a move.

El Khannouss finally on his way to Newcastle?

The player has received enquiries from two unnamed Premier League clubs, which seem to have awakened a desire in him to return to England. Stuttgart would prefer to keep him and are currently demanding a whopping €60 million.

This is clearly just to deter suitors and not a realistic valuation. El Khannouss currently has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €36m, which is a much more reasonable sum for him at this stage in his development.

The attacking midfielder already has the ability to stamp his influence on a game, but he is not yet consistent or decisive enough in the final third to warrant a €60m valuation.

The news of his desire to leave and the Premier League interest is interesting, though. We can only speculate at this point, but it would not be surprising if one of the clubs interested in him were Newcastle.

The Magpies are long-standing admirers of the 22-year-old and were already interested in him last summer. And according to data analytics firm SciSports, El Khannouss would be a great fit for them.

SciSports analyses various factors such as playing time, play style and development opportunities to calculate a Club Fit rating. Newcastle clock in with a good 78 out of 100, making them his second-best option after Juventus with 79.

Newcastle certainly have money to spend, especially if Bruno Guimaraes completes his switch to Arsenal, so they could be tempted to go big for El Khannouss, even if €60m would be a significant overpay.

This would be frustrating for Eddie Howe, who has resigned amid another disruptive transfer window. Last year, El Khannouss was among the players Newcastle reportedly missed out on as they endured a nightmare summer.

So for them to now get their hands on him would sting, particularly as he could have been quite useful for the struggling St. James' Park club last season. He could be an ideal player for new head coach Matthias Jaissle, though.