Newcastle United could be handed the opportunity to return for a summer target in the January transfer window, with reports indicating the player is desperate for an exit.
The Daily Mirror states Algerian forward Islam Slimani is pushing to leave Leicester City in the New Year after enduring a difficult spell with the Foxes, where he’s failed to establish himself as a leading man within the squad.
Signed from Sporting Lisbon after a stellar season saw him score 31 times in his final year in Portugal, Slimani has struggled to show that level of performance in the Premier League, making just one start this season and playing just nine minutes since Claude Peul’s appointment.
Newcastle United were linked with the services of the African striker in the summer and could revive their interest in the New Year, as Rafael Benitez desperately seeks a top-tier striker who can pull the Magpies away from relegation threat.
However, Leicester saw Newcastle and Watford both reject an advance in the summer due to their hefty asking price, wanting to recoup around £30m, and that price-tag is unlikely to have lowered significantly since.
