No, your eyes are not deceiving you - Islam Slimani does still play for Leicester City.
Well, perhaps not in a literal sense, seeing as he's been farmed off on loan to Newcastle, Fenerbahce and AS Monaco over the past couple of years, but he's still on the books nonetheless.
However, the 32-year-old's Leicester nightmare could possibly come to an end, if the Telegraph's report of potential interest from West Brom proves to be accurate.
The Baggies have already shown in their first three Premier League games that they know how to find the net, but more worryingly have also shown a penchant for haemorrhaging a considerably higher amount of goals.
That doesn't appear to concern Slaven Bilic and West Brom's hierarchy though, with an inquiry about Slimani's availability thought to have been registered. Inevitably, West Brom aren't entertaining the prospect of a permanent deal - no, no - but are interested in taking the Algerian to The Hawthorns on a season-long loan deal.
Initially, West Brom are understood to have identified Huddersfield striker Karlan Grant as a possible target, but attention has now been turned towards Slimani despite his disappointing record in English football.
Leicester's once record £28m signing scored just eight goals in 18 months before the powers at be decided that he wasn't cutting the mustard. His loan spell at Newcastle was equally as uneventful, and his season-long jaunt in Turkey yielded just a single goal.
However, Slimani did get back on track last year, grabbing nine goals in 18 Ligue 1 appearances for Monaco. It's that form that perhaps has persuaded West Brom into thinking he's worth taking a punt on, and would go some way to appeasing Bilic, who admitted after the 3-3 draw with Chelsea at the weekend that a new forward is his priority.“I can only hope at this moment – I think something will happen because we needed it," Bilic remarked. “I’ve said it from the beginning, I keep saying that and I hope the owners will recognise the situation – even after the Chelsea game – and try to strengthen our team.”
Slimani has just one year left on the long-term contract he penned when joining Leicester, which is probably regarded by most Leicester fans as one year too long. Can't win them all, eh.
Source: 90min