Al Ittihad submitted a €40 million offer to VfB Stuttgart for Bilal El Khannouss during the night between Monday and Tuesday. The Saudi club had approached Stuttgart as they searched for a replacement for Moussa Diaby. Bild confirmed the report and added that VfB would likely have accepted the bid if the sale of Chema had not already occurred. For El Khannouss, the transfer would have meant he would earn double his salary. The 22-year-old Moroccan attacking midfielder, who also holds Belgian nationality, rejected the move, which prevented the transfer from happening. Earlier in the summer, Newcastle United and Galatasaray had also shown interest in the player. The transfer window in Saudi Arabia closes on October 12. El Khannouss joined Stuttgart on July 1, 2026, and his contract is valid until June 30, 2030. He has 43 caps and 3 goals for Morocco. His current Transfermarkt market value is €35.00m.