Saints are being linked with Leicester City's Algerian striker Islam Slimani, a striker as they look to solve the goalscoring problems of the past couple of seasons.

Islam Slimani has been in the Saints radar before although mostly as part of a transfer chain that the club has been involved in.

He joined Leicester in August 2016 for £28 million but he has never really impressed at the East Midlands club despite being prolific at Sporting Lisbon where he scored 48 League goals in 82 appearances and gained a reputation as a clinical first time finisher.

Back then his name was linked with Saints although it seemed that Saints main target was Bas Dost who joined Sporting as Slimani's replacement after he had moved to Leicester.

Slimani was again linked with Saints again with his name being mentioned not only in regard to moving to St Mary's on loan, but in that Monaco wanted a replacement for Guido Carrillo and were looking at Slimani, the Algerian eventually moved to Newcastle on loan, but his time there was hampered by injury and he didnt make his debut till two months after he had actually joined and then after only four games he was sent off and banned for the rest of the season.

Now he is looking for a new start and will be available for less than the fee Leicester paid for him and his name is again being linked with Saints who will be looking to revamp their scoring options in the summer.

Photo: Action Images

saint68 added 10:47 - May 31 Sounds like a a complete waste of money. Probably hoping for a Salah type revival. Ulloa would be more prudent.
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darthvader added 12:00 - May 31 Or iheanacho? Perhaps he would be a better option . The other guy sounds like a non starter. Loaned out to Newcastle ? Hardly played ? No thanks
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underweststand added 17:35 - May 31 "A clinical first time finisher " is a nice-sounding expression, BUT we have (at various times in the past) used that sort of phraseology about a lot of strikers. A striker in the Saints line-up needs to be able to a team player and hold-up the ball and yet also be in the box to take these chances. ala Lambert, Pelle.. and even Charlie Austin (at times) , The likes of Gabbiadidni and Carrillo rarely got service into the box to convert those "chances". It might be argued that with Vardy and Mahrez up front for Leicester, (understandably) Slimani didn't get much game time, and his record with Sporting looks quite good - except that in a " good team" ..almost everyone looks good, and he may have benefited from good wing service, that Saints don't possess at present. Assuming that we still have Austin, Gabbiadini, Carrillo and Redmond on the books come August (yes I have omitted Long and Boufal) ......and that we have the luxury of regularly playing two men up front ...where / when would (Slimani) or Promes play ? ..accepting that those transfer fees might also create yet another "club record " . To bring in (yet) another name ..I think we might look twice at WBA's Rondon...(OR)?

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SanMarco added 18:49 - May 31 I echothe sentiments above saying no to this...
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landsdownsaint added 20:13 - May 31 Give what we got a chance under an old fashioned British manager who likes to attack the opposition
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Crispinmumbles added 14:31 - Jun 1 Is Paul Moody not available then?
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TeamCortese added 09:15 - Jun 2 ...............Meh The only strikers I'm interested in from Leicester are Vardy and Iheanacho. Both of whom are starters!
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LoisDeem added 16:32 - Jun 4 Agree, we don't want to stockpile (would be) strikers, we want to unlock their ability, so need to complement what we have, and find more creativity and assists.
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LoisDeem added 15:27 - Jun 6 ...and goals, goals, goals, we need goals...oh, did I say? Goals. It should be our goal to reward those goals, with carrot rather than stick. Surely Mr Gao knows this, or its gaol for Klinky Krueger or Reedy Brek porridge type man?
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KriSaint added 16:15 - Jun 6 Crispinmumbles , "Is Paul Moody not available then?" Good one :-) I remember him. Nice to hear the name of a very marginal squad player from back in the day (I think it was during Ian Branfoot´s reign, almost 30 years ago...), who didn´t succeed at Saints and ended up playing most of his career in the lower divisions. Like another marginal squad player, striker Steve Basham. Remember him? Both big, english strikers with limited speed and technical skills, who never made it at the highest level.

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