Arsenal
Aston Villa
Chelsea
Crystal Palace
Everton
Fulham
Leeds United
Liverpool
Manchester City
Manchester United
Newcastle United
Nottingham Forest
Southampton
Tottenham Hotspur
West Ham United
Wolverhampton Wanderers
News
Report shares why Aston Villa missed out on Islam Slimani
Aston Villa eventually signed two strikers in January, and it remains to be seen if the pair will help the club remain in the Premier League at the end of the season.
Dean Smith was successful in his approaches for Mbwana Samatta and Borja Baston, with record signing Wesley out injured for the season.
Fans were made to wait right up until the end of the window for the players to come, and before they joined, a host of names were linked.
One of those players was Islam Slimani, the Leicester City striker who is currently on loan at AS Monaco.
The Algeria international is enjoying a good season over in Ligue 1 – scoring eight goals and making seven assists in 15 games.
He was seen as a potential replacement for Wesley, but a move never materialised.
that the main reason Villa couldn’t get a move done, was because the player didn’t want to be involved in a relegation battle.
Villa are currently 17th in the table, just one point above 18th-placed West Ham United.
TBR’s view – Villa frustration
Currently in seventh, Monaco have hopes of finishing among the Champions League spots and it is little wonder Slimani would prefer to stay put and try to help the club achieve that ambition.
His reluctance to come to Villa had to have been a frustration for Smith, with the £29 million player () someone who could have replaced the physical edge lost in Wesley.
The experienced star has been in good form this season and there’s a chance he’d have been a bigger boost for the club’s survival hopes.
Samatta, who scored on his debut for Villa, could turn out to be decent although he is a bit of a gamble, but Baston is without a goal since September.
It’s now on the pair to show the club Slimani won’t be a regret.