Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United are both keeping tabs on Islam Slimani, who is a striker at Sporting. He is a renowned goal scorer and is highly rated in the Portuguese club's set up. They value him at around £17 million, and both English clubs see him as the ideal recruit in the summer.
Both Spurs and the Hammers already have fire power with the likes of Harry Kane and Diafra Sakho scoring regularly this season, but they also need more in case of injuries suspensions or a drop in form. Slimani is the type of player who fits the bill, with scouts already being sent to watch his progress.
He was a big player for Algeria at the World Cup, helping them to qualify for the knockout stages, where they were eventually knocked out by Germany, who went on to lift the trophy.
The 26-year-old bagged two goals in a successful tournament and he also represented his country at the African Cup of Nations. They were also knocked out by the eventual champions, Ivory Coast, at the quarter-final stage and again, Slimani impressed up-front.
For Sporting, he has also had a very good season. He has scored seven goals in eleven league appearances and also netted twice in the UEFA Champions League group stages. He is a player full of energy and pace, and a good finisher. His aerial ability is remarkable and at 6 feet 1 inches tall, he can cause a huge threat at set pieces.
His natural eye for goal will certainly be a threat in the Premier League and Sam Allardyce and Mauricio Pochettino are keen admirers.
Whether each club can strike a deal is still in question, but they know goal scorers are tough to find and Islam Slimani is proven in whatever league or competition he's played in throughout his career.
Tottenham will see him as a very similar player to Harry Kane in particular, due to the size of his frame as well as his style of play. He works extremely hard for the team, and he is very effective at leading the line.
He will also fit in the West Ham style of direct Football and he can become a fans' favourite either playing alongside Sakho and Enner Valencia or playing as a lone attacker. His versatility could be very useful in their ranks if they can pull of the signing.
