Manchester United is apparently in the running to recruit highly regarded midfielder Bilal El Khannous of Genk, who has recently caught the attention of Premier League rival Liverpool.
Since the 2022–23 season began, the 19-year-old has established himself as a mainstay in Wouter Vrancken’s starting lineup, making 66 of his 76 appearances for the squad.
The youngster defeated Westerlo’s Maxim De Cuyper and Antwerp’s Arthur Vermeeren to win the Belgian Pro League’s 2022 Best Young Player title.
El Khannous made his debut for the Atlas Lions in the World Cup in Qatar because of his outstanding club exploits, which also helped him get into the Moroccan national squad.
Manchester United is the most recent team to enter the battle to sign the gifted adolescent, after Liverpool and other teams that have been linked to a bid for El Khannouss this month, according to Football Transfers.
The INEOS group, under the direction of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, is reportedly keen to emphasize youth development as a crucial element of United’s recruiting strategy.
It’s reported that Genk has estimated the cost of its academy product to be between £22 million and £26 million.
Genk would set a new club record if they sold the youngster for the reported asking price, exceeding the £21 million they got for Sheffield United’s Sander Berge.
The Red Devils will probably need to let go of a few current players in order to create room for new players, since Financial Fair Play rules are thought to limit the transactions they may make this month.
El Khannous, a Brussels native, transferred from Anderlecht to Genk’s development system in 2019 and signed his first professional contract the following year. His current contract expires in June 2027 with the Belgian Pro League team.
El Khannous is a well-known versatile player who mostly plays as an advanced playmaker but can also be seen playing on the flank or in a deeper position.
In May 2022, not long after turning eighteen, the Moroccan international made his club debut. In 76 games, he has scored four goals.
With ten caps for Morocco under his belt, El Khannous was nominated for the African Young Player of the Year title last year.
