The Leicester City striker has plenty of admirers ahead of the January transfer window.
Islam Slimani may be unwanted at Leicester City, but the striker is reportedly attracting plenty of interest ahead of the January transfer window.
As the Leicester Mercury reports, both Watford and Newcastle United have been linked with the Algerian, who cost the Foxes £29m in 2016 but has only started once in the Premier League this season.
Newcastle are in greater need of a new forward having scored only 16 goals in 17 top-flight games, and may have £30m to spend in January as a takeover gets closer, according to The Guardian.
However, the Magpies face strong competition to get Slimani because Portuguese newspaper A Bola claims that former club Sporting Lisbon want him back.
Sporting head coach Jorge Jesus has admitted that Slimani, who scored 48 goals in 82 Primeira Liga games, remains universally loved by all at Estádio José Alvalade.
Jesus told A Bola: “Every club in the world takes advantage of the winter market to make adjustments. It’s just that some teams have more money than others. I don’t like to talk about players who are not in Sporting.
Sporting head coach Jorge Jesus says that Slimani would be welcomed back with open arms.
“Slimani is a beloved player for the club. We know Slimani isn’t playing, but we do not have data to say anything. Now he’s a beloved player for his colleagues, coaches and supporters. They want him here, I understand.”
Should Amanda Staveley’s takeover go ahead, Newcastle would be able to compete with Sporting on fee and wages for Slimani, but would still be second favourites.
The Leicester striker would likely jump at the chance to return to his old stomping ground and get out of England rather than make a second go of it in the Premier League.
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