[NOT HAPPENING] Islam Slimani

It’s worth reading the Leicester forum, almost universally rated by all of them. What would people think about Gray or Deeney if they came on here?

 

Anyone watching the cup match? How's he playing?

 

Who cares? He won’t sign for us.

Iheanacho has scored though.

 

Nice assist.

 

I care! I bloody care!

 

Substituted. Seriously pissed off. Make of that what you will.

 

In talks with Besiktas

 

They want him to replace Cenk Tosun

 

The Times and Daily Star say we want talks with Leicester in the next couple of days about Slimani. If we're still after him then a striker must be going, probably Okaka but there are a lot of Deeney rumours flying about.

 

Don't think Deeney is going because WBA and apparently Stoke won't bid until they sell. The Pozzos won't sanction a move unless we have a replacement and they can't afford to gamble on what is available on the last day.

 

It’s a bit strange we are pursuing this. Been told Slimani is keen to come, so I can only assume Silva’s position is not as precarious as imagined.

He’s a player Silva wants and he will cost a lot of money to sign, as I don’t think Leicester would entertain a loan deal.

 

A hefty loan fee with an option to buy for around £20m at the end of the season may do it. He then either ****s off with Silva and we don't pay or he does well for us, wants to stay and we get a good striker for £20m which isn't extortionate in today's market.

 

Yes this is a perfectly reasonable solution and assumption. But from the guys I know at Leicester, apparently they would not consider such a deal. They want to sell not loan to a rival.

But, if there are no takers by the end of the window I could well see them relenting.

 

I've only seen about 30 seconds of slimani (that goal he scored the other week) but I think he'd be sensational. Silva knows all about him and they are good buddies.

I know he is ugly as sin, but I am ALL IN on this transfer and think it will transform our season.

 

I suspect they will also not entertain him coming until after we've played them on Saturday.

 

Gabbiadini is dead, long live Slimani.

 

I also suspect that they wouldn’t entertain him coming to us on loan without an obligation to buy for a hefty fee. It’s quite a risk to take.

And I’m not saying they wouldn’t but if other clubs are offering to take him permanently now, surely that’s Leicester’s preference?

 

I watched the Fleetwood game and aside from playing like ***** he did also look like he'd been up snorting coke all night.

 

Is it a hefty risk? What's £20m against staying up and reaping in the telly money next year? Plus if richarlison is off in the summer, his fee will eclipse £20m. So the pozzos are still massively quids in, and the threat of relegation subsides (assuming silva is right and he can get a tune out of slimani) meaning their riches next year are secured.

I know he'll have little resale value, but in the scheme of the millions coming the pozzos way £20m pales into insignificance.

 

I would say a central midfielder is more of a priority at the moment! Playing Watson, who is at best a Championship midfielder, is a joke! Hughes and Chalobah clearly won’t be back for a while and now Cleverley is out, probably only due to be out for a few weeks which means he will be out for 18 months. Capoue clearly isn’t fancied and could be off to Torino anyway which means we are incredibly light in this area!

Central Midfielder
Left Back
Winger

These are the three critical areas to strengthen.

 

He’s a short term solution at best. Nothing to suggest he’ll be better than Deeney who is of a similar age and the fact he hasn’t made it at Lesta may mean a problem with application or attitude for this league. Loan? Yes. £20m and five year deal would risk a Nathan Ellington level event.

 

If a player is the difference between staying up & relegation, then £20 is nothing.

If he may marginally increase the chances of staying up, then I'm not so sure from Gino's pov.

I reckon our turnover before transfer dealings is now c£100m. If wages take up 80-100% of that, before investment in the training ground & the stadium, then a marginal £20m with no resale is a big item.

Please see the UEFA Club Landscape thread on the Gen Football page for a fascinating discussion of this area.

That's if a long UEFA document posted by me which has garnered one response (thank you, Reids!) is the kind of thing which fascinates you.

 

Agreed, a loan would be better for all parties because I'm not sure he'll want to stick around if Silva leaves us and buying for big money in January is always risky. But if we're going by records it would definitely indicate that he's an improvement on Deeney. Slimani has a better goals to games ratio all while playing at a higher level.

 

I'd add right back to that list as well. I really don't think Janmaat is a good enough defender. Love his shots and crossing, but we'd have to play him as a winger rather than a defender I reckon.

 

I don't think it shows a lack of attitude for our league, I had a browse on the Leicester forum and everybody on there rates him but just think that his style of play does not suit how they play. As much as I like Troy I think Slimani is a massive improvement, before Leicester signed Islam Slimani he was one of Europes most prolific strikers with an impressive 31 goals in 44 appearances.

 

The Portuguese league a higher level?

Don’t get me wrong, I’d like him to sign, but he has a way to go to be the Premier League performer that Troy is, even with the Deen’s obvious limitations. Would Slimani have taken the Soton game on like Deeney did? Won every header?

 

he meant he's taller than deeney

 

Than the Championship? Yes I'd say it is. Plus he's played International, Champions League and Europa League football. I'm sure Leicester fans would keep Slimani over Deeney if they were offered a swap! Anyway, I'm pretty sure he'd be a replacement for Okaka should he join.

 

As a replacement for Deeney - no. As a replacement for Okaka - all day.

As much as it isn't my money, so I don't really care, we've all seen how a transfer fee gets thrown at a player if he doesn't hit the ground running (Andre Gray). £20m seems a lot of money for him and I'd say £12m-£15m seems fairer. But I guess if we can somehow get someone to give us £8m-£12m for Okaka, then the finances would balance up on replacing one with the other. Although I suspect Okaka will leave on deadline day, probably just on loan.

If Deeney goes, it should be in the summer, when your captain moving on leaves minimal upheaval and gives you ample time to replace him both as a player and as skipper.

 

Troy Deeney is a Premier League player with 25 goals in 89. Ok, moderate stats and many pens, but he also has a great assist record. He also defends well and occasionally plays a captain’s innings.

Slimani has 8 in 35 in the Premier League. He may be able to do better than that but he is not obviously better than Deeney. Would we pay £20m for Deeney and give him a long contract at nearly 30? I expect we would not.

 

What is the point of loaning someone with an obligation to buy? Why not just buy?

 

Cashflow

 

And look what happens when he is not available to take the penalties.

 

But transfer fees are often deferred/paid in instalments aren't they?

 

Wages?