Temptation arrived with a €40m price tag, and Bilal El Khannouss turned it down without hesitation. Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad submitted a formal €40m bid to VfB Stuttgart during the final hours of the summer transfer window, hoping to complete a deal before the deadline. Stuttgart, who had been open to selling if the right offer and destination emerged, quickly saw the proposal rejected by the player himself.
A €40m Saudi bid arrived at the deadline, and Bilal El Khannouss said no without a second thought.
El Khannouss chose to stay in Europe, prioritizing his sporting project over a lucrative financial package. This decision echoes a stance he has expressed before, describing moves to Gulf leagues at a young age as “a pity” when top-level European competition remains available. As one of the rising stars of the Atlas Lions, El Khannouss is seen as a key part of Morocco’s long-term ambitions on the international stage. For a player still building his reputation at the highest level, staying close to strong competition matters more than a quick payday.
The offer arrived at a moment when Stuttgart were reportedly considering a sale to help fund other summer signings. The €40m figure sat within the club’s valuation range of €40–50m, a number that reflects El Khannouss’s rising output this season. Across 44 appearances for Stuttgart in 2025/26, he has produced nine goals and nine assists, numbers that explain why his market value has climbed well beyond the roughly €28m estimate recorded before this surge in form.
His path to this point has included spells at KRC Genk, where he was under contract until 2027, and Leicester City, whose release clause of around €22m expired in August 2025. That expiration allowed Stuttgart to negotiate his move, initially on loan from September 1, 2025, before making it permanent. His current deal is reported to run until June 30, 2028. Like many Atlas Lions internationals, El Khannouss represents Morocco’s diaspora, having developed his footballing skills within European academies rather than at home.
With the Al-Ittihad approach now behind him, El Khannouss remains a key figure in Stuttgart’s Bundesliga campaign. Interest from other European clubs is expected to continue, keeping his long-term future open within the continent rather than abroad. For Moroccan football followers, his choice reinforces a broader pattern among Atlas Lions players: prioritizing competitive environments that can sustain international form ahead of major tournaments such as the World Cup.
Get the Atlas Lions Weekly
The biggest Morocco football stories, player updates and analysis—delivered to your inbox every Sunday.
