As reported by The Mirror, Islam Slimani is the latest Premier League player to be attracting interest from the Chinese Super League this January.
What’s the word?
After missing out on bringing Diego Costa to Asia this January, Chinese club Tianjin are now targeting one of the few players performing to a high level for Leicester City this season, according to The Mirror.
They say that Tianjin are ready to offer an eye-watering £40m for the striker and could pay the Algerian international £400,000-per-week to lure him to China.
The majority of Premier League clubs struggle to produce that kind of cash, even more true at Leicester, so Claudio Ranieri faces the possibility of losing one his key men ahead of a potential relegation battle.
A big miss?
Leicester have struggled to hit the famous heights of last season but in Islam Slimani they’ve found a consistent performer that has, for the most part, lived up to his record transfer billing.
Slimani cost the club a reported £28m last summer, a club record for an incoming transfer, and has contributed massively to their season so far.
He’s scored six goals and made four assists in fourteen starts for the club, including a massive goal against Porto in the Champions League, a huge step towards their qualification for the Last 16 of the competition.
Losing that kind of firepower ahead of the knockout stages and ahead of a potential relegation battle would be a bitter blow to Ranieri’s ambitions this season. The Foxes are just five points and three places above the relegation zone.
Leicester supporters must be hoping that this is one Chinese transfer rumour that doesn’t come to fruition.
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