Arsenal eye perfect Martin Odegaard backup who Ruud van Nistelrooy loves

Arsenal are reportedly eyeing a move for Leicester City's young talent Bilal El Khannouss, who has earned praise from manager Ruud van Nistelrooy. The Gunners are keen to strengthen Mikel Arteta's squad in all areas as they prepare for another title challenge next season.

Despite finishing as runners-up in the last two seasons and looking likely to secure second place again this term, recognise the need for reinforcements, particularly in the attacking midfield position.

Skipper has been a consistent figure under Arteta when fit, but his form has dipped since recovering from an ankle injury. With no other player in the current squad able to effectively fill Odegaard's role, Arsenal are scouting potential competitors for their captain next season.

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Fabio Vieira was considered, but his struggles during his loan spell at Porto suggest his time at the may be coming to an end. This has brought El Khannouss into the spotlight as a possible option.

The 20-yeary-old midfielder joined Leicester from Genk last August in a £21million deal and has stood out in what has otherwise been a disappointing season for the Foxes, who have been relegated to the Championship, reports .

As reported by , Arsenal are keeping tabs on the young playmaker, who was named Genk's player of the season in his final year in Belgium. Despite concerns about his physicality, his 'incredible technique and vision' have caught the attention of the Gunners.

It's been suggested that he could be a 'useful squad addition' for Arteta, and with Leicester facing relegation, he could be a bargain buy despite having three years left on his contract. El Khannouss has netted three times and provided five assists in his 35 appearances across all competitions.

Van Nistelrooy is evidently an admirer of El Khannouss, having included him in every Premier League starting line-up since taking over at the King Power Stadium. The Dutchman even believes the midfielder has the potential to shine in the Champions League.

"His potential is there to be a top player in the Champions League. He can go a long way," the Leicester boss said earlier this season. "He's not afraid to challenge the big teams in the league.

"He performed exceptionally well in the home game (against Manchester City). He's young, he joined the Premier League this season. He's developing really well. He's looking to add to his numbers. It's just a matter of time, the goals and assists, there are still games for him to add to those numbers.

"He's a hard worker, he wants to improve. He's very young still. He's definitely one for the future of this club, to propel the club forward. He's transitioned from the Belgian league to the Premier League. He's playing in a team where we're in the situation we are.

"He's a technical player and he needs to be on the ball a lot. That's where his strengths lie. For where we are, sometimes there are different games for him, but for his development it's great."