VfB Stuttgart have completed the permanent signing of Bilal El Khannouss from Leicester City, converting last summer's loan into a full transfer. The Bundesliga club triggered an obligation-to-buy clause in the loan agreement after the Moroccan attacking midfielder reached the required number of appearances during the 2025-26 season, paying a further fee in the region of €15m on top of the loan fee already handed over last summer. That takes the overall value of the deal to close to €19m. El Khannouss, 21, has signed a new contract at the Mercedes-Benz Arena running until 2028.
Stuttgart had every reason to make the move permanent. Sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth said the club were "delighted that we've been able to tie Bilal permanently to VfB", pointing to his "technical ability, vision, and maturity despite his young age" as reasons he was viewed as a long-term asset rather than a short-term loan fix. Head coach Sebastian Hoeneß has been equally admiring, describing him as "a man for special moments" after a stoppage-time header won a Europa League tie against Feyenoord — praise that reflects how quickly El Khannouss became a regular starter rather than a squad rotation option.
For Leicester, the deal draws a line under a signing that never quite got going in England. El Khannouss arrived at the King Power Stadium from Belgian side Genk in the summer of 2024 with a reputation as one of Europe's brighter young creative midfielders, but he made way for a loan move to Germany last season rather than force his way into Leicester's plans. Selling him permanently recoups a fee close to what Leicester paid to sign him in the first place, but the club also gives up a player who had been earmarked as a potential long-term creative presence in midfield, and one who now looks to have found his level in the Bundesliga instead.
That level has been a high one. Across all competitions for Stuttgart in 2025-26, El Khannouss made 41 appearances, scoring nine goals and adding seven assists — a return of two goals and five assists in the Bundesliga alongside five goals in the Europa League. Those numbers mark a clear step up in end product for a player who had shown promise rather than product during his time in England, and they explain why Stuttgart moved to make the transfer permanent as soon as the appearance clause allowed.
At Stuttgart, El Khannouss has operated as an advanced playmaker in Hoeneß's attacking midfield, given licence to drift into the half-spaces and get on the ball between the lines, where his passing range and composure in tight areas have stood out. He has become just as important for Morocco at international level, underlining that his rise in Germany is not a one-season purple patch. With a contract now running to 2028, Stuttgart have secured a player they clearly regard as central to their attacking approach for the coming seasons, rather than a loan addition they were simply trying out.