Newcastle United are reportedly keen on Leicester City striker Islam Slimani.
According to The Mirror, Leicester City striker Islam Slimani fears he will be priced out of a move to Premier League rivals Newcastle United this summer.
The Foxes swooped to sign Slimani in a bid money deal from Sporting Lisbon last summer, after the Algerian had starred in Portugal with 57 goals in 109 games, including 31 goals in the 2015/16 season.
Leicester City’s Islam Slimani celebrates scoring
Slimani, 29, was seen as the ideal partner for Jamie Vardy thanks to his size, power and aerial ability, but he struggled to live up to his price tag, as he started just 13 Premier League games last term.
Whilst the centre forward did hit seven goals and four assists, he is now expected to be sold on this summer – but The Mirror report that he is now fearing that Leicester will price him out of a move to Newcastle United.
The Magpies are in the market for a centre forward, and Slimani fits the bill for Rafael Benitez’s side, but it’s claimed that Leicester want to recoup most of the £29million they spent on Slimani less than a year ago.
That stance has already priced former club Sporting out of a deal to re-sign Slimani, and the striker is seemingly concerned that Newcastle won’t be able to meet the demands either.
Leicester City’s Islam Slimani scores
Slimani allegedly wants to stay in the Premier League, as he feels his physicality is well-suited to the English game, but finding a club to keep Leicester’s asking price could be difficult.
Paying even £20m for Slimani would shatter Newcastle’s transfer record, and having only recently won promotion back to the Premier League, it seems unlikely that Benitez would break the bank for a 29-year-old with limited success in England.
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