adminRight now, Leicester City are sitting 22nd in the table with 39 points — 11 wins, 12 draws, and 16 losses, along with a -9 goal difference.
They’re deep in the relegation zone, level on points with Oxford United and just a point behind Portsmouth. It’s a tight, uncomfortable fight, and the Foxes are right in the middle of it.
Things took a serious turn in February 2026 when the club was hit with a six-point deduction for breaching the EFL’s Profit and Sustainability Rules.
The punishment, tied to excessive losses up to the 2023–24 period, dragged them straight into the bottom three and made an already difficult season even worse both on and off the pitch.
This comes right after their relegation from the Premier League the previous season, a campaign fans would rather forget. Since then, it’s been one setback after another, and the club is now feeling the full weight of those struggles.
One major consequence is how hard it’s become to hold on to key players, especially with promotion back to the Premier League looking uncertain. A clear example is Bilal El Khannouss, whose future has now been settled.
Speaking to Sporting BILD, Stuttgart sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth confirmed that the club has triggered the €15 million option to sign the midfielder permanently.
“Yes, that’s right. I can confirm that,” he said. “All the conditions have now been met. We’re delighted to have secured Bilal’s permanent contract with VfB.”
Leicester originally signed El Khannouss from Genk in August 2024 for €22.5 million, but his time at the club never really clicked. He managed just three goals and seven assists in 39 appearances a return that fell short of expectations.
Things have been very different in Germany. At Stuttgart, he’s found his rhythm, scoring eight goals and providing four assists in 33 games so far. His performances have even drawn comparisons to Lionel Messi, which says a lot about the impact he’s made.
Reports earlier this month suggested the deal was already close, with a clause in his loan set to trigger a permanent move once he hit a certain number of appearances. That condition has now been met, and the transfer is officially done.
From Leicester’s point of view, there’s at least a small positive. The club will bring in around €21.5 million from the loan and transfer combined, which helps them recover most of what they initially spent. Given their current financial situation, that’s a much-needed boost.
It also saves them from a tougher scenario potentially having to sell him for less if relegation becomes official.
For El Khannouss, the focus now is simple,keep performing, keep improving, and continue rebuilding his career in a place where things are finally going right.
Abdulhafiz Teslim
admin
