Leicester City striker Islam Slimani did not want to join Aston Villa last month because of the club’s current relegation battle, according to a report on The Express.
Slimani is currently on loan with French Ligue 1 side AS Monaco until the end of the season.
As reported on Get Football News France, fellow Premier League sides Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur were plotting a move for the Algerian.
Villa boss Dean Smith was on the hunt for a new striker during the January transfer window and ended up signing Tanzania international striker Mbwana Samatta.
READ ASTON VILLA VERDICT
Not signing Slimani on loan could have been a blessing in disguise for Villa because Samatta has started his career in England in fine fashion.
The former KRC Genk attacker has already netted his first goal for the club and has scored 97 league goals in his career, whilst Slimani only has 22 more and is four years older.
We feel that the Algerian may not have really suited Villa if he wasn’t ready to fight for the shirt, which is something that could be required by every player in the squad at the moment with the club sitting just one point above the relegation zone.
