Southampton have joined Watford, Newcastle and Turkish Super Lig side Besiktas in chasing after Leicester City striker Islam Slimani.
Slimani has failed to establish himself since joining the Foxes from Portuguese giants Sporting CP for £28million 18-months ago, and is rumoured to be keen on leaving, with the Algerian looking for more minutes.
A source close to the player says Slimani has nothing against the Leicester or anyone at the club, but that he needs to play more often and so must leave the King Power.
Leicester have previously been against letting Slimani go, and with Leonardo Ulloa possibly leaving this month too, Slimani may have to stay in order to maintain attacking squad depth.
While it appears to be unlikely, Southampton could represent a smart move for the 29-year old striker.
Southampton have struggled for goals this season, with Charlie Austin leading the goalscoring charts with six in the Premier League. Manolo Gabbiadini, Shane Long and Nathan Redmond have also all struggled immensely with inconsistent form.
However, Slimani hasn’t been pulling up trees himself this season, scoring just once in 12 league appearances for Leicester.
With Leicester likely to demand a significant fee for Slimani, it seems unlikely that the Saints will sign the Algerian. However, it isn’t out of the question.
