Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester City have offered former record signing Islam Slimani to Sporting Lisbon on a free transfer, according to a report from Record.
Slimani made a name for himself at the Portuguese capital between 2013 and 2016. The Algerian centre-forward played 111 times for Sporting in all competitions, scoring 57 goals and providing 15 assists – his best return at any club he’s played for.
Leicester made their move for him in 2016 ahead of their first season in the Champions League. The Foxes paid a then club-record £29 million fee for the Algerian (BBC) but he struggled to replicate his form from Portugal in the Premier League.
Slimani played 46 games for Leicester and scored just 13 goals. The 31-year-old was sent out on loan to Newcastle United, Fenerbahce and most recently Ligue 1 side Monaco.
Slimani had a very impressive campaign in France last term. The former Sporting man scored nine goals and provided seven assists in 14 starts in the French top flight. That’s a stunning return in anyone’s terms but Monaco don’t want him any more and neither do Leicester.
Slimani is in the final year of his contract and another loan move makes little sense. Leicester, in an ideal world, would like to sell him for a fee but that has proved difficult in this window.
As a result, the Foxes are ready to let their former club-record signing leave for free, and Sporting could reportedly wrap the deal up before the window shuts tonight.
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