Premier League champions Leicester City have added significant firepower to their title defence asASis claiming a deal has been struck with Sporting Lisbon to bring striker Islam Slimani to the King Power Stadium.
According to the latest reports, the Foxes are set to sign the 28-year-old for £25m, fending off competition from West Bromwich Albion in the process.
The Baggies had been supposedly leading the race for the Algerian, who scored 29 goals in 43 games for the Portuguese side last season, but Claudio Ranieri looks to have secured another exciting attacking signing, adding to the club-record capture of Ahmed Musa from CSKA Moscow.
El Sporting de Portugal acuerda el pase de Slimani al Leicester https://t.co/NQ8kbskRz5 pic.twitter.com/3C2KGX1zVC
Sporting are losing another of its most influential stars, with winger Joao Maria being sold to Inter Milan. The club are reportedly lining up Wolfsburg striker Bas Dost as a replacement for Slimani.
The news comes as another blow to the Baggies, who failed in their attempts to prise Diafra Sakho away from West Ham earlier in the summer. However, despite that, Tony Pulis believes he will sign five players before the transfer deadline.
"I'm not going to panic and bring a load of players in to satisfy people out there and then, after two weeks, they say they are no better than what we've got," Pulis said.
"I still think I'm getting them (the five players). I have been at the club for two years and we have re-signed a lot of players who were under contract, but I have also said we need new impetus.
"They have to be the right players. When I came into the club there were players who were here and have since left and they cost an enormous amount of money and the club has not got any return."