According to Portuguese paper Record, Arsenal have reignited their interest in signing Sporting CP and Algerian forward Islam Slimani.
It was reported in June that Arsenal were looking to sign Slimani after Jamie Vardy snubbed them and signed a new contract with Leicester while the champions were looking to sign Slimani to replace Vardy but nothing of that sort happened.
Today we are back to square one. Arsenal are back in for Slimani and this time there is no alternative. Higuain, Lacazette, Griezmann, Vardy, Bacca and Lukaku have all said and done what they wanted to and we are left with nothing but Slimani.
Record says Gunners boss Arsene Wenger had a spy in the crowd for Sporting’s 1-0 win at Pacos Ferreira. Slimani, 28, played the full 90 minutes but failed to get on the scoresheet. Other reports in the Express claim that the North London club have opened talks with Sporting Lisbon over striker Islam Slimani, according to reports
Well To be fair, the 27-year-old did score 31 goals in 46 games in all competitions for Sporting last season, which is a really, really good return and by that he could be a potential signing for Arsenal.
In August 2013 Slimani joined Sporting CP from CR Belouizdad for around £400,000. The Algeria international is under contract until 2020 and Arsenal are willing to pay £25m, but Sporting are believed to want £30m.
Apparently many premier league clubs are behind him. The likes of Everton, West ham have already made contact with the striker and recently Baggies launched a £21m bid but Sporting are reportedly holding out for £30m.
I don’t think this rumor has any credibility but anything can happen in the last week of the transfer window. We’ve been linked with many Algerians this transfer window and with Campbell moving to Sporting CP on a loan, this rumor surely had to resurface again.
Would he be a good signing? Well, at this time there isn’t such a thing as bad signing for Arsenal. He has scored 30 goals in a season and that is something.
The question is if we sign him, can he become accustomed to the Premier League ? Does he have what a player needs to thrive at the highest level ? We’ll just have to wait and see.
