HOPES NOT SO SLIM AT TOON FOR FOXES FLOP

NEWCASTLE forward Islam Slimani could still have a future at St James’ Park, despite his disastrous loan spell costing £27,000 per minute.

Rafa Benitez hasn’t ruled out making a permanent move for the injury-prone 29-year-old (above), who has managed a little over two hours on the pitch since arriving from Leicester in January.

The Foxes’ £28million record signing is out of the picture at the King Power, and had hoped to earn a full-time move to Tyneside by impressing in the second half of the campaign.

But after seeing his debut delayed for almost two months by injury, the Algeria international is now ruled out for Toon’s final three games starting with the trip to Watford.

He earned a retrospective three-game ban for kicking out at defender Craig Dawson in the 1-0 home defeat by West Brom.

Newcastle have had anything but value for money after shelling out more than £3.5m in wages and loan fees in return for zero goals, but Benitez could still swoop for the big targetman this summer as he looks to strengthen his squad in what would be a club-record deal.

Slimani has opted to stay with the Toon squad for the final week of the season rather than return to Leicester, and Benitez said: “He said he wanted to stay and train with us and I will talk to him about his future next week.”

Toon have lost back-toback matches and the Spaniard added: “We might make changes because we want fresh legs.”