Price well below market value
©IMAGO
This article first appeared on March 10 and has been updated with new information.
VfB Stuttgart has signed Bilal El Khannouss (21). After consistent media reports that the purchase option was about to be activated at the beginning of March, sports director Fabian Wohlgemuth now officially confirmed this fact in “Sport Bild”.
“The conditions have now all been met. We are pleased that we have tied Bilal to VfB,” said Wohlgemuth. According to the magazine, the deal costs VfB 15 million euros, and the contract with El Khannouss is now valid until 2030. The 21-year-old Morocco national player has three goals and three assists in 19 Bundesliga games so far, plus five goals in the Europa League.
It is not entirely clear where exactly the mark was that automatically led to a definitive commitment. After the loan from Leicester City was confirmed last year, “Sky” initially spoke of 20 appearances being necessary to activate a purchase obligation. In addition, the clause is linked to a final table placement that can realistically be achieved. The “Eßlinger Zeitung”, for example, assumed that only successful relegation would be necessary for the pass. There was also talk of at least 30 games in the VfB jersey.
Together with the loan fee of 3 million euros that has already become due, VfB can book the transfer for an amount well below the market value of the Belgian-born Moroccan, which is currently valued at 32 million euros.
