Sunderland ‘to accelerate El Khannouss talks’ after Romaine Mundle development

Sunderland could recruit Bilal El Khannouss to sharpen their Premier League campaign after the latest Romaine Mundle development.

Leicester City signed El Khannouss on a four-year deal in August 2024. However, he is already poised for a departure this summer.

The attacking midfielder is the recipient of immense playmaking potential and has been targeted by several clubs as a result.

One of these clubs is Sunderland, who will hope to secure his signature following the latest on Mundle.

Romaine Mundle
Sunderland gem Romaine Mundle [Credit: Imago]

Sunderland are now without Mundle after surgery update

Sunderland signed Mundle from Standard Liege in February 2024 after the forward climbed the academy ranks at Tottenham.

The winger has shown strong promise when on the pitch, but hamstring issues and poor fitness kept him away from the club for extended periods last season.

And it looks like Sunderland will be without Mundle again heading into their Premier League campaign after he confirmed he had undergone surgery via Instagram (19 July). This will come as a massive blow for the Black Cats, who seem to be on the hunt for his replacement.

As reported by Loic Tanzi via X on Monday (21 July), Sunderland continue to negotiate with Leicester to lower El Khannouss’ £22.5million release clause. The Foxes currently have a 10 per cent sell-on clause with Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa among the interested parties.

PlayerSeasonAppearancesGoalsAssists
Romaine Mundle2024/252552
Bilal El Khannouss2024/253736
Mundle and El Khannouss’ stats last season

Now with Mundle’s return date up in the air and other clubs circling, Sunderland could accelerate talks for El Khannouss in the coming days.

While the Leicester forward is comfortable in the midfield, he has also had stints on the left wing where Mundle excels. As a result, he could be one to keep an eye on as the summer window continues.

El Khannouss would be a great investment

El Khannouss is a player who possesses great physical and technical qualities when either creating from the wing or the midfield.

The 21-year-old is still young and could flourish under the correct manager and team. He had nine goal involvements in 37 games for Leicester last season, and his Premier League experience is a huge benefit.

Therefore, even if Mundle returns to the starting lineup, El Khannouss’ versatility would make him a fine investment.

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