Islam Slimani Signs For Leicester City

 

 

The 28-year-old joins the Foxes for an undisclosed fee after signing a five-year contract that will keep him at King Power Stadium until 2021. 

 

An international team-mate of current Leicester City star Riyad Mahrez, the 6ft 2ins striker boasts an impressive record of 23 goals in just 43 games for Algeria since his debut in 2012. 

 

Slimani told LCFC.com: « To join a team like Leicester City is a huge honour and I can’t wait to get started. I’ve always wanted to play my football in the Premier League and to get the opportunity to do that with the reigning champions was something I simply could not turn down. » 

image: http://www.lcfc.com/cms_images/player/slimani-640-lc7856-028280-3284666.jpg

Known for his relentless work-rate and an unshakable determination, Slimani is a player who will bring plenty of qualities to a Leicester City team built upon the kind of heart and hard work that has helped see the striker complete a remarkable rise. 

 

Having been signed by Sporting from the relative obscurity of Algerian side CR Belouizdad in 2013, Slimani’s irresistible form saw him reach a stunning total of 27 goals in just 33 games during last season’s Portuguese top flight campaign. 

 

Slimani spent four seasons with CR Belouizdad after joining from JSM Cheraga and made his debut for the team in an Algerian second tier match at the start of the 2009/10 campaign. 

 

After helping CR Belouizdad to promotion and continuing his impressive goalscoring form alongside a tenacious and all-action playing style, Slimani was called up to the Algerian national team in 2012. 

image: http://www.lcfc.com/cms_images/player/slimani-640-lc7856-019280-3284664.jpg

His debut came in May of that year against Niger before finding the net against Rwanda in a 4-0 win a week later – setting himself on a path that would soon see him regarded as indispensible to the Desert Foxes. 

 

Slimani has represented his country at both the 2013 and 2015 Africa Cup of Nations as well as in the 2014 World Cup. With the help of Mahrez and Slimani, Algeria qualified for the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time in their history, where they were narrowly beaten in extra-time by eventual winners Germany. 

 

Slimani’s success at Sporting Lisbon on the goalscoring front has seen them secure one third place and two second place finishes in his three full seasons at the club, while his 56 goals during that time have seen him linked with a host of big clubs around Europe. 

 

Alongside his international experience, Slimani has also featured for Sporting in both the Europa League and Champions League – a welcome boost for the Foxes as they embark upon their first-ever campaign in Europe’s biggest club competition this season.