Journalist now claims Newcastle United could revisit move for Leicester City midfielder in summer
Newcastle United seem pretty determined to add some youth and dynamism to their midfield before next season, whether that be in January or in the summer.
A move for AZ Alkmaar youngster Kees Smit has been heavily rumoured, and stories have suggested that Newcastle may look to make a move for the 19-year-old in January to head off other clubs who are potentially going to wait until the summer to make their move.
However, Smit isn't the only player on Newcastle's radar, and a new report from Sky Sport journalist Sacha Tavolieri has claimed that Newcastle are still keen on a player they had in their sights over the summer.
Before Newcastle signed Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa, they were linked with an interest in 21-year-old Leicester City midfielder Bilal El Khannouss.
Sacha Tavolieri claims Newcastle 'love' Bilal El Khannouss
Tavolieri claims Newcastle 'love' El Khannouss, and while he's currently on loan at Stuttgart and is expected to stay in the Bundesliga until the end of the season, Newcastle could launch a bid for him in the summer.
It's expected that Newcastle would have to pay in excess of £22 million to land the 21-year-old, but given how well he's playing in Stuttgart, Leicester could add a couple of million to his value.
We were quite keen on the idea of signing the Moroccan international in the summer, and with five goals and four assists in 19 games in all competitions for Stuttgart this season, that's certainly not fading.
We'll have a clearer picture of Newcastle's intentions next month
Kees Smit probably just edges El Khannouss in terms of excitement, but of course, the Moroccan has the advantage of having Premier League experience, having spent a season in the English top flight with Leicester City.
We'll see what happens with the reported Smit bid in January, as that will likely directly influence whether Newcastle maintain their interest in El Khannouss.
There's still a chance that we get Smit in January (a small chance, admittedly) and still move for El Khannouss as there could be an exit from our existing midfield pack before the end of the summer window. Our money is on Joe Willock leaving the club before next season.
