Sunderland step up talks for Forest & Villa target Bilal El Khannouss | OneFootball

Sunderland are stepping up efforts to sign Leicester City midfielder Bilal El Khannouss, according to L’Equipe journalist Loic Tanzi.

The Black Cats have been locked in talks with Leicester, who are looking to keep their key players ahead of next season’s push for a quick return to the Premier League.

El Khannouss has three years left on his contract, so Leicester are in no rush to sell. Their dire financial situation could force their hand, but at the moment, they’re standing their ground.

The 21-year-old midfielder has a €26 million (£22.5m) release clause in his contract. Leicester want to make sure they recoup every penny, as well as a 10% sell-on fee on any future resale.

However, Sunderland are hoping to negotiate a fee below the player’s clause.

The newly promoted side are looking to leverage Leicester’s financial situation, but they’re struggling to get the Foxes to shift their stance.

Finalising a deal could become complicated for Sunderland if they let negotiations linger for too long.

Leicester are aware that El Khannouss is highly sought after by Premier League clubs and are ready to play the waiting game to see if other interested parties will submit a bid.

Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa are in the race, while Ligue 1 giants AS Monaco are also keeping a close eye on El Khannouss’s situation.

They want to act on their interest, but they need to sell before they can make their move.

Sunderland have been one of the busiest teams in the Premier League. The club is backing Regis Le Bris with a war chest as they look to avoid a swift return to the Championship next season.

The Black Cats have already welcomed six new faces to the squad. They have spent around £85m to bring in Enzo Le Fee, Habib Diarra, Noah Sadiki, Reinildo Mandava, Chemsdine Talbi, and Simon Adingra.

Sunderland want to make El Khannouss their seventh summer addition but may need to meet Leicester’s demands to get their man.