Tottenham Hotspur have made the last-gasp decision to enter the race to sign Bilal El Khannouss and will discover whether they have done enough to convince the Leicester City star to head to Hotspur Way instead of Crystal Palace in the coming days, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.
Spurs head coach Thomas Frank suffered a significant blow last week, when arch-rivals Arsenal beat him to the £67.5million acquisition of Eberechi Eze, and that has resulted in plans being made to bring in an alternative target ahead of the fast-approaching September 1 deadline.
But Tottenham have been forced to deal with another snub, thanks to Nico Paz deciding he wants to stay at Como after the Serie A side rejected a big-money offer, and influential figures behind the scenes have continued scouring the market as they seek additional creativity in the final third of the pitch.
Spurs Showing Late Interest in El Khannouss
El Khannouss is considering making an eleventh-hour U-turn and completing a move to Tottenham after initially showing interest in joining Crystal Palace, according to GMS sources, and he is preparing to make a final decision over his future in the coming days as he will weigh up his options at the start of the week.
The creative midfielder, who has been described as a 'magician' by scout Jacek Kulig, is eager to make a quickfire return to the Premier League after suffering relegation with Leicester last season and he was not involved in his current employers' win at Charlton Athletic on Saturday due to ongoing speculation.
GMS sources have been informed that El Khannouss, who produced five top flight goal involvements during the 2024/25 campaign, has been alerted to Tottenham's sudden pursuit after he was added to their shortlist of potential recruits when Eze's rejection forced them to look at alternative targets.
Although there were suggestions that Crystal Palace were close to wrapping up a £32million deal for the Morocco international last week, with the south Londoners aiming to secure a playmaker as they look to build on FA Cup and Community Shield glory in recent months, he has still not headed to Selhurst Park.
El Khannouss was open to joining the Eagles when they lodged the best offer on the table, GMS sources have learned, but Tottenham's admiration has resulted in him having a rethink and there is a serious possibility that he will choose to become the latest addition to Frank's squad.
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Bilal El Khannouss made four key passes and registered two assists during Leicester City's victory over Sheffield Wednesday earlier this month
El Khannouss Ambitious as Frank Eyes Swoop
GMS sources have been told that El Khannouss is determined to push himself by joining a side competing at the highest level, which has allowed Tottenham to become increasingly confident of overcoming competition from Crystal Palace as they are able to hand him the opportunity to feature in the Champions League.
The 21-year-old is on a contract which allows him to pocket £35,000-per-week, highlighting that he will be a cheaper alternative to Eze if Spurs opt to head into negotiations, and he is desperate to prove his worth in the top flight after being unable to stop Leicester dropping into the Championship.
Tottenham are in a race against time because El Khannouss wants his situation to be sorted before deadline day on September 1, GMS sources understand, and he has previously turned down moves to the likes of West Ham United after the east Londoners were unable to match his ambition.
Spurs are not only in the market for fresh attacking influences as GMS sources recently revealed that Frank wants to advance in his pursuit of a new defender after he was given assurances by members of the hierarchy that they would bolster his options in the position when he succeeded Ange Postecoglou in the hot-seat.
All statistics courtesy of Sofascore - correct as of 25/08/2025