KRC Genk are preparing Bilal El Khannouss for the European top and his improved performances this season have doubled his market value in a year to €22 million. El Khannouss therefore enjoys the specific interest of Atlético Madrid and Liverpool.
However, KRC Genk sets strict requirements for a possible transfer: no departures in January and the record for outgoing transfers of the Jupiler Pro League must be broken.
Genk places tough demands on Atlético Madrid and Liverpool
Foreign interest in Bilal El Khannouss (19) is constantly growing and becoming more and more concrete. The Morocco international is at the top of Atlético Madrid’s wish list, who are willing to offer him a five-year contract.
Liverpool also observed him several times during matches, and the current Premier League leader was convinced of El Khannouss’ qualities. Liverpool even asked for further information to discuss a possible transfer.
However, both Atlético Madrid and Liverpool will have to meet KRC Genk’s strict requirements. A transfer in January is non-negotiable; El Khannouss will only leave Genk in the next summer transfer window.
Furthermore, the club is counting on a record sum when it sells its star player. El Khannouss has to become the most expensive outgoing transfer in the history of the club and the Jupiler Pro League.
This means that more money will be needed than the 32 million euros paid by Milan last summer for Charles De Ketelaere. Rik De Mil, the current coach of KVC Westerlo, is already convinced that this will happen.
Last season, then The newspaper When asked which player in Belgium could break the transfer record, De Mil without hesitation named El Khannouss. “If he can be patient and take a few more steps.”
El Khannouss has no stats for a top-class transfer
Last summer the agents had already inquired about the conditions and price for Bilal El Khannouss, but at the time a transfer was out of the question because KRC Genk were only willing to negotiate a departure in the summer of 2024.
Furthermore, the attacking midfielder had to face a crucial challenge: refining his statistics and improving his performances.
Wesley Sonck recently set The latest news that El Khannouss, despite his age, should score more goals in his role. Steven Defour added that he is too in love with the ball.
El Khannouss also stated that he wants to significantly improve his statistics this season. Last season he managed just one goal and five assists in 41 games, an inadequate number for a player of his enormous qualities and pure class.
Genk’s golden boy has had to deal with an important point of attention this season: scoring more often and providing more assists. “He will,” Wouter Vrancken predicted at the end of July The morning.
To achieve this, El Khannouss has to do some things against his nature, because the Moroccan likes to have the ball, but sometimes it is better to feel it less and run towards a higher position to be decisive there.
El Khannouss improves statistics: market value doubles
With 3 goals and 5 assists in 34 games in the current season, Bilal El Khannouss is already much more decisive than the previous season. It’s also possible that he could double his stats from last season in the second half of this season.
The young attacking midfielder is clearly showing progress and is working hard to improve his goals and assist numbers. He continues to improve.
“Bilal has set the bar even higher for himself. He is strong for a boy of his age to stand up and take the plow by the hand, “agrees Dimitri de Condé The latest news.
El Khannouss also placed 28th at the Golden Boy Award, a prestigious award given by the Italian sports newspaper to the best player under 21 in Europe Tuttosport.
Furthermore, he recently has the second highest market value among all players in the Jupiler Pro League. Its current valuation amounts to 22 million euros and has doubled in just one year.
Bilal El Khannouss has become less of a gambler and more efficient
Although Bilal El Khannouss’ statistics with 3 goals and 5 assists in 34 games are significantly better than last season, these are not exceptional figures for a player in his position and with his great qualities. There is still a lot of room for growth when he returns, but Europe’s top clubs seem to ignore these statistics.
“Today they have data specialists looking for the underlying statistics. They often focus on the player’s potential, says Wim Lagae, a sports economist at KU Leuven. The latest news.
El Khannouss is pure and genuine talent. The boy from Genk excels for his technique and phenomenal ball control, qualities of great quality that he learned and perfected in indoor football.
El Khannouss dared to take rather difficult actions, which meant that there were a lot of risks in his game, but it is clear that over the years he has tried to play football simply and efficiently.
Over the last two years El Khannouss has developed strongly at KRC Genk. He has become less of a gambler and more of an efficient number ten, who loses the ball less and puts more dynamism into his game than he does.
However, some things have not disappeared and are part of his USP: his invincible technique, impressive vision, good positioning and constant demand for the ball.
El Khannouss is a conductor, leader, turntable and patron
This season Bilal El Khannouss is being looked at with a magnifying glass and this has a positive influence on his game. He brings Genk back to playing football after Mike Trésor left for Burnley FC, he is tireless and does not shy away from defensive work.
El Khannouss is a conductor, leader, turntable and patron. He takes care of all the stationary phases, spreads out the passes, always leads the way and keeps running.
In terms of pure technical football talent, he is even considered one of the best in Belgium. It is therefore not surprising that El Khannouss, at his request, took over from Trésor’s number 10 in Genk at the end of September.
“A refined song, only for the most creative minds”, we read on the Genk club website.
