Sunderland eyeing £30m Newcastle target with Magpie move now ‘off radar – Sky Sports
Newcastle United have decided not to move forward with a deal for Leicester City midfielder Bilal El Khannouss after signing Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa last weekend.
This has opened the door for rivals Sunderland and Crystal Palace to try to sign the Moroccan player instead.
Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie says Sunderland are interested in El Khannouss, though they have not started official talks yet.
The Black Cats have already spent more money than any other newly promoted Premier League team this summer, bringing in players like Granit Xhaka.
Crystal Palace remain the favorites to sign the 20-year-old attacking midfielder as they look for a replacement for Eberechi Eze, who is joining Tottenham.
The Mail’s Craig Hope confirms Newcastle are no longer in the running, as the club feels £30 million is too much after already buying Ramsey.
Newcastle’s Current Midfield Options
| Player | Age | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Bruno Guimarães | 26 | Central |
| Joelinton | 27 | Central |
| Sandro Tonali | 24 | Central |
| Jacob Ramsey | 23 | Central |
| Lewis Miley | 18 | Central |
| Joe Willock | 24 | Central |
With six senior midfielders, manager Eddie Howe has the number of players he wants in this area. However, injuries could still be a problem. Willock is already hurt, leaving only two backup options for the three starting spots.
Newcastle will play at least eight Champions League games this season, meaning they need more players than last year. If the injury situation gets worse, Howe may have to use young players like Alfie Harrison or Travis Hernes from the under-21 team.
While El Khannouss would have added creativity to Newcastle’s midfield, the club has chosen to spend their money elsewhere after signing Ramsey.
Sunderland’s interest shows how ambitious they are, but Palace still look most likely to get the Leicester player.
For now, Newcastle fans will have to hope their current midfield stays fit enough to handle all the games this season. The club may still make more signings, but they seem happy with their options in midfield after bringing in Ramsey.
The situation could change if injuries pile up, but for now, Newcastle’s focus appears to be on other areas of the team rather than spending another £30 million on El Khannouss.