Newcastle United have brought an end to their interest in a Premier League striker, who has struggled since a £29m transfer.
The Daily Mirror states Rafael Benitez’s side, and other suitors, have pulled out of the running to sign Leicester City’s Islam Slimani, with Turkish outfit Besiktas now leading the chase.
Algerian striker Slimani joined the then Premier League champions in 2016 for a club-record £29m but has failed to provide a spark to the Foxes attack, continuously finding himself behind Jamie Vardy and Shinji Okazaki in the pecking order.
Both Newcastle and Watford were attributed with an interest this month, potentially due to his asking price, and Besiktas look set to secure his services as they seek a replacement for another former Newcastle target, Cenk Tosun.
Tosun joined Everton earlier this month, leaving Newcastle to assess their options on the transfer market once again. With finances strict on Tyneside, any incoming deal is likely to be on-loan and Benitez continues to assess potential targets.
