As the last few weeks of the summer transfer window of 2025 draw near, Newcastle United are working harder than ever to improve their team for the next Premier League season. The club is currently concentrating on important signings to improve their attacking and defensive options after a difficult transfer market defined by lost targets and impending departures. Bilal El Khannouss of Leicester City is a big target right now because his release clause has gotten a lot of attention. This article gives a full account of Newcastle’s efforts to recruit the Moroccan midfielder, as well as news on other possible additions and changes to the squad. It is useful for football fans and experts who are following the Magpies’ transfer plan as of August 11, 2025.
Newcastle’s Chase After Bilal El Khannouss
A Goal for Eddie Howe
Newcastle United wants to sign Bilal El Khannouss from Leicester City to make their midfield stronger, especially in the attacking third. The 21-year-old Moroccan international, who came to Leicester from Genk for about £19.5 million in August 2024, has been one of the best players on the team, even if the Foxes were relegated to the Championship last season. He is a great fit for Eddie Howe’s vision of a dynamic, Champions League-contending team since he can play a lot of different positions, is creative, and has a lot of potential.
The Telegraph says that Newcastle is thinking about using El Khannouss’s release clause, which is thought to be more than £30 million, much more than the previous estimations of £22.5–24.5 million. Because Leicester was relegated, this provision is about to run out, which has made Newcastle more interested. The club thinks El Khannouss has a lot of potential and could make their assault more interesting and flexible. His latest performance, in which he set up two goals in Leicester’s 2-1 Championship win over Sheffield Wednesday on August 10, 2025, shows that he can have an impact on games at a high level.
El Khannouss’s Profile and Fit
El Khannouss, who was born in Belgium and plays for Morocco, is known for his brilliance, close control, and great passing range. As a number eight or advanced playmaker, he is great at getting the ball in tight spaces, making accurate through balls, and setting up scoring chances. Last season, despite Leicester’s problems, he scored three goals and set up six others in all competitions. This shows that he can handle pressure. He might be a good answer to Newcastle’s need for creativity in midfield, where they haven’t always been able to get through in recent seasons.
Newcastle’s offer of Champions League football makes them even more appealing to El Khannouss, a young player who is apparently eager to return to the Premier League. But there is a lot of competition, as Leeds United, Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace, and other teams are also interested in the midfielder. Leeds, in particular, have said they are willing to pay the £24.5 million release clause and have offered a £50,000-a-week contract, which makes Newcastle’s job much harder. The Magpies need to act quickly before the clause runs out in order to get his signature.
Leicester’s Place and Money Situation
Leicester City is in a tough spot after being demoted. They could well be in need of their own cloud mining project to raise funds, as a lot of clubs are finding new sponsors in the crypto space. Currently they have to sell players because of financial difficulties from the Profitability and Sustainability Rules. The team has already lost important players like Mads Hermansen, Wilfred Ndidi, and Conor Coady. If El Khannouss leaves, it might give incoming manager Marti Cifuentes more money to improve the roster. Leicester values El Khannouss’s services, as seen by his Player of the Match performance against Sheffield Wednesday, but the thought of a transfer fee of more than £30 million may be too enticing to pass up, especially as the release clause is about to run out.
Solving Newcastle’s striker problem
Looking for more attackers
Newcastle is trying to get El Khannouss, but they also need to improve their attacking alternatives, especially at striker. The fact that star scorer Alexander Isak is apparently garnering interest from Liverpool has made it even more important to get fresh forwards. Posts on X say that Isak’s possible departure could happen soon, and Newcastle is looking for replacements so they aren’t caught off guard when they play Aston Villa in their first Premier League game.
Vangelis Pavlidis of Benfica is one of the names that has come up as a strong candidate. Newcastle officials saw the 26-year-old Greek striker play in a Champions League qualifier in Nice on August 6, 2025. He scored 30 goals and assisted 13 others in all competitions last season. Pavlidis’s £87 million release clause is a big problem, although discussions could lower the fee since Benfica has a history of making a lot of money off their stars. He is a good target because he is in great shape and scored two goals against England at Wembley. However, clubs like Manchester United make it harder to get him.
Other targets that have been touted are Yoane Wissa of Brentford, who looks like he is about to transfer to Newcastle, Samu Aghehowa of Porto, and Nicolas Jackson of Chelsea. These choices show that Newcastle is trying to find a lot of strikers in Europe and the Premier League to solve their problem. But the high prices and competition for these players show how hard it is to close deals in a short transfer window.
Problems with players leaving
Newcastle’s transfer intentions are even more complicated now that crucial players like Isak and right-back Kieran Trippier might go. Keith Downie from Sky Sports says that AS Monaco, a team in Ligue 1, is thinking about making a formal offer for Trippier. Eddie Howe really values Trippier’s expertise. Newcastle is already looking for two strikers and a midfielder, so losing the 34-year-old would mean they need to find a replacement, which would put even more strain on their resources. Also, goalie Odysseas Vlachodimos’s loan move to Sevilla shows that Newcastle is still restructuring their team, putting a priority on depth and versatility.
Other things happening with transfers
Not Lucas Paquetá
Keith Downie of Sky Sports has stated that Newcastle would not go after West Ham’s Lucas Paquetá this summer, even if there was talk of it happening. Even though the Brazilian midfielder was connected to the club and is well-liked there, there hasn’t been any real interest yet. This choice comes after other changes in the midfield, such Sean Longstaff’s sale and Joe Willock’s injury worries. These changes make it much more important to have a player like El Khannouss to fill the creative hole.
The Arrival of Malick Thiaw
Newcastle’s defence is becoming stronger, and AC Milan’s Malick Thiaw is going through a medical exam for a £34 million deal. This signing fills a big hole at right centre-back, giving the team stability as they deal with other transfer issues. Thiaw’s coming is a good thing, but the main goal is still to add more players to the attack and midfield before the window shuts.
Newcastle’s Strategic Thoughts
Newcastle’s moves in the last few weeks of the 2025 summer transfer window will determine how well they can compete in England and Europe. Getting Bilal El Khannouss would fill a long-standing creative vacuum in the middle of the pitch. It is also important to fix the striker problem to make sure there is enough depth and firepower. If major players go, the club will have to be good at negotiating and organising its finances while staying within the rules.
A player of his calibre will be extremely difficult to replace, and the fact that Vangelis Pavlidis has been mentioned as a potential target suggests Newcastle are actively preparing for a major surprise. google doodle baseball
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