Sporting Lisbon ‘will target Leicester’s Islam Slimani’ if European Golden Shoe runner-up Bas Dost joins Stoke or Newcastle
Algerian struggled to dislodge Jamie Vardy and and Shinji Okazaki in Foxes' front line and could make return to Portugal
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ISLAM SLIMANI could be set for a swift return to Sporting Lisbon, according to reports in France.
Leicester broke their club transfer record to sign the Algerian from the Portuguese heavyweights for £28million last summer.
However, he struggled to settle in the Premier League, and failed to dislodge Jamie Vardy in the Foxes attack.
Sporting’s top goal scorer from last season, Bas Dost, is a target for both Stoke and Newcastle and France Football report that, should the Dutchman leave, boss Jorge Jesus wants Slimani as a replacement.
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He arrived at the King Power on the back of an exceptional season where he netted 27 times as the Yellow and Whites finished as runners up in the Primeira Liga.
But, he scored just eight in all competitions for Leicester.
Slimani enjoyed regular game time under Claudio Ranieri as Vardy and Shinji Okazaki struggled to replicate the incredible form they showed en route to winning the Premier League title a year earlier.
But, when the Italian was replaced by Craig Shakespeare in February, the 29-year-old lost his place in the team.
Sporting had replaced Slimani with the signing of Dost from Wolfsburg — and he exceeded all expectations.
The 28-year-old finished as runner-up to Lionel Messi in the race for the European Golden Shoe with a staggering 34 goals in 31 league games.