Leicester break club record for Sporting star Slimani

London (AFP) – Premier League champions Leicester paid a reported club record fee of £29.7 million ($38 million, 34 million euros) to sign Algeria striker Islam Slimani from Sporting Lisbon on Wednesday.

Slimani agreed a five-year contract with Claudio Ranieri’s side after scoring 27 times in 33 league games for Portuguese side Sporting last season.

The 28-year-old’s arrival shatters Leicester’s previous transfer record of £16 million, which they paid for Nigerian striker Ahmed Musa from CSKA Moscow in July.

“To join a team like Leicester City is a huge honour and I can’t wait to get started,” Slimani told Leicester’s website.

“I’ve always wanted to play my football in the Premier League and to get the opportunity to do that with the reigning champions was something I simply could not turn down.”