Tottenham walk away completely from midfielder deal as price tag increase to £40m

The final days of the summer transfer window are always a whirlwind of changing plans, and for Tottenham Hotspur, the search for a new creative midfielder has taken yet another unexpected turn.

The club, along with London rivals Crystal Palace, has been actively pursuing a deal for Leicester City’s promising young playmaker, Bilal El Khannouss.

However, what initially looked like a straight fight between two Premier League clubs has now evolved into a much more complicated situation, one that has ultimately led both Tottenham and Palace to walk away from the negotiating table.

Spurs’ need for an attacking midfielder has been well-documented. After missing out on primary targets Eberechi Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White earlier in the window, the focus shifted to El Khannouss.

The 21-year-old Moroccan international impressed during Leicester’s promotion campaign last season and was seen as a player with the technical quality and vision to fit into Thomas Frank’s system.

There were even reports that Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy had taken a personal interest in getting the deal over the line, underlining how seriously the club was pursuing him.

For a while, it seemed like Tottenham had gained the upper hand. Reports suggested that the player was leaning towards a move to North London over Crystal Palace, who had also been tracking him for some time.

In fact, El Khannouss had previously agreed on personal terms with Palace, and the Eagles were prepared to pay around £34 million to secure his signature. It looked as though the transfer race was heading towards a conclusion.

But then, Leicester City changed their strategy. Recognizing the intense interest from the Saudi Pro League, where clubs are willing to pay significant sums for talented players, the Foxes decided to raise their asking price.

They now believe they can secure a fee in excess of £40 million by selling El Khannouss to a Saudi club, a figure that is substantially higher than what either Tottenham or Crystal Palace are willing to pay.

This sudden shift has completely altered the dynamics of the deal. Faced with this new financial reality, both London clubs have made the pragmatic decision to end their pursuit.

From their perspective, paying over £40 million for a player who is still developing and has only one season of Championship experience under his belt represents a risk they are not prepared to take. The money involved simply does not align with his current market value in England.

The situation now rests in the hands of the player himself. El Khannouss is understood to prefer staying in the Premier League, where he can continue to develop under a manager like Oliver Glasner at Palace or Thomas Frank at Tottenham.

A move to Saudi Arabia, while financially lucrative, would represent a very different career path—one that is less focused on competitive football and more on the financial aspect of the game.

Leicester are hoping that the substantial salary offer from the Middle East might eventually persuade him to change his mind. But for now, the player’s preference is clear.

This leaves everyone in a difficult position. Leicester want to maximize their profit, the Saudi clubs are willing to pay, but the player is hesitant.

As the clock ticks down to the deadline, this is one transfer saga that may not have a clear resolution. For Tottenham and Palace, the search for midfield reinforcement will have to continue elsewhere.