Lyon striker Islam Slimani said he received a phone call from former Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho when he was struggling to settle down at Leicester City.
Before completing a free transfer to the Groupama Stadium earlier this year, the Algeria star endured a torrid spell at Leicester with loan spells at Newcastle United, Fenerbahce and Monaco.
It was a turnaround campaign for Slimani during the 2019-20 season where he scored nine Ligue 1 goals in 18 games despite a tactical switch that saw him drop to the bench.
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His impressive goal record last year made him a transfer target for Spurs and he described Mourinho’s call as ‘a reward for his form’.