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Tottenham have reached out to the VfB Stuttgart playmaker who is also attracting attention from Newcastle United and Crystal Palace. Tottenham Hotspur have done well to back Roberto de Zerbi in the transfer market, bringing in players capable of making an immediate impact at N17 in the upcoming season. The club bosses have brought in the likes of Marcos Senesi, Andy Robertson, and Jan Paul van Hecke to shore up a defence that leaked goals at an alarming rate last season. We have also revamped their midfield by making big-money moves for Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali. The focus has now shifted towards strengthening the attack before the new season gets underway. It comes as no surprise that Spurs are looking to sign attacking players in the final weeks of the transfer window. Due to James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski’s injury struggles, coupled with Xavi Simons’ ACL rupture, a new No.10 also remains on the club’s agenda. Tottenham in a three-horse race for VfB Stuttgart playmaker According to a report from FussballDaten, Tottenham have made initial contact with Bilal El Khannouss’ agent and VfB Stuttgart officials to gauge the conditions and structure of a potential transfer. Newcastle United and Crystal Palace are also keeping tabs on the young playmaker. Since arriving from Leicester City, initially on loan last September, Bilal El Khannouss has made 42 appearances for Stuttgart, registering 16 goal involvements, including nine goals. The 22-year-old’s loan from Leicester City was made permanent in May, with the creative midfielder penning a contract until 2029 with Stuttgart. El Khannouss performed well at the FIFA World Cup, helping Morocco reach the quarter-finals before they were dumped out by France. This helped in raising the player’s stock further, with Premier League trio looking to bring the Moroccan back to England after just one year away. The report adds that Spurs are ready to submit a €30m offer plus add-ons for El Khannouss. But it would fall well short of Stuttgart’s valuation of €40-50m, with the German club in a strong position for negotiations. Spurs can kill two birds with one stone A No.10 by trade, El Khannouss is also comfortable operating off the left flank. He has covered both positions for Leicester, Stuttgart and Morocco. For Morocco at the World Cup, the talented youngster was stationed on the left wide region, with Azzedine Ounahi operating as a No.10. While he did not deliver a single goal contribution, the 22-year-old’s movement, link-up play and work rate made him a mainstay for the Atlas Lions. For Tottenham, De Zerbi could use El Khannouss similarly. Having the Moroccan international on the left would allow De Zerbi to play James Maddison in his preferred No.10 role, and the duo could combine well in the final third and wreak havoc against the opposition. The Grimbergen-born playmaker has shown the kind of potential that fits De Zerbi’s long-term project in North London. Stuttgart value El Khannouss in the €40-50m region, a steep price but one that reflects his growing reputation in both the Bundesliga and beyond. With the Lilywhites in desperate need of a creative glue in the side, El Khannouss represents both a smart investment and a potential long-term replacement for Maddison.