Newcastle United may not have room for both Slimani and Mitrovic and the goalless loan man could be winning favour.
Rafa Benitez set Aleksandar Mitrovic a target of scoring 20 to 25 goals on loan at Fulham in the second half of the season, as reported by the Chronicle.
And given that comment may have been a little jovial, the Newcastle United manager can hardly fail to have been impressed by Mitrovic’s form.
He has shown his class in 14 Championship appearances, netting 10 times and linking up play to inspire Fulham in their promotion challenge.
But Mitrovic’s big problem is that back on Tyneside, in the Premier League, his replacement Islam Slimani is belatedly finding form and fitness.
Slimani may be waiting on his first Newcastle start and first Magpies goal, but he has twice emerged from the bench to turn matches in the Toon’s favour.
His mere presence led to Ayoze Perez’s winner against Huddersfield Town and then, on Sunday, at home to Arsenal, Slimani’s introduction was decisive.
A towering header led to Matt Ritchie’s winner, with Slimani creating a further two chances late on as he dropped deep to pick passes and run at defenders.
He looks like the player Mitrovic was supposed to be, and more performances like the one against Arsenal will surely earn a permanent contract at St James’ Park.
If that happens and Slimani is at Newcastle next season, any lingering hope Mitrovic has of rescuing his Magpies career is surely over.
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