Article by Tudor Belivaca – published on Thursday, September 11, 2025, 18:14 / Updated Thursday, September 11, 2025 6:22
Ioan Varga, the financier of those at CFR Clujrevealed what the former Premier League striker asked for, Islam Slimani, to sign with the team from Gruia.
Algeria's all-time goalscorer signed this evening with the band led from the bench by Andrea Mandorlini and will be a competitor with Louis Munteanu in Gruia. The 37 -year -old veteran becomes the purchase with the number 18 of this Mercato in Gruia!
The financier Ioan Varga says he was impressed by the fact that the player with 40 matches in the Premier League was not very interested in the salary, but had a special requirement: to live in the city center to drink his morning coffee in the middle of Cluj.
Islam Slimani will receive a salary of 8,500 euros a month, but the amount would be supplemented by consistent bonuses: the title first would exceed 100,000 euros, and the European cups could reach 200,000 euros. The footballer listed at 500,000 euros by the Transfermarkt portal signed from the position of contract free player.
Islam Slimani signed with CFR Cluj! Ioan Varga, impressed in the final negotiations: “something else not interested”
Slimani, left, in Newcastle's equipment. Photo: Imago Images
“He told me that he was not interested in the salary. He did not come for money. If he came for money he asked for hundreds of thousands of euros. His purpose is to get in shape to play at the World Championship and to help us achieve our goals.
He just said he wants to stay in the center, that in the morning at 6 o'clock his coffee in the city center. Something else not interested. He left me a very good impression. Players of this level have a lot of common sense and are very modest. He is interested in other things. He wanted to know what the training base is, what conditions are on the team, how the gym is ”, said Ioan Varga, according to prosport.ro.
Islam Slimani is the best all-time scorer of Algeria, with 47 goals in 102 appearances. Moving to CFR Cluj was motivated by the fact that the footballer does not want to get out of the viewer's views for the 2026 World Championship.
Islam Slimani has important teams in European football: Sporting CP, Leicester, Newcastle, Fenerbahce, Monaco and Lyon. In Lisbon, he impressed with 61 goals in 123 games.
The official statement: “Welcome, Islam Slimani!”
Islam Slimani was officially presented at CFR Cluj / Photo: Facebook
Welcome, Islam Slimani!
Cfriști, we announce with enthusiasm that, starting today, Islam Slimani, the best scorer in the history of Algerian team, is the new striker of our team!
Slimani started his impressive career in Cr Belouizdad, in Algeria, from where he transferred to Sporting CP, a club for which he scored a total of 61 goals and offered 16 decisive passes. His remarkable benefits brought him a transfer to the Premier League, in Leicester, and Newcastle's shirt will also wear in England.
He also evolved in important teams in Ligue 1, such as AS Monaco, for which he played 19 matches, scored 9 goals and scored 7 decisive passes, but also for Olympique Lyon or Stade Brestois. Also, the striker has evolved throughout his career and in Turkey, Fenerbahce, Brazil, for Coritiba, but also in Belgium, for Anderlecht, Westerloo and Mechelen.
At the international level, Slimani represents Algeria, for which it has checked 102 selections, managing to score 46 goals so far, being the best scorer in the history of its country! In 2019, along with Algeria, he won the Africa Cup on nations, and in 2014, he participated in the World Championship, where he scored 2 goals. In 2013, Islam Slimani was appointed the best footballer of the year in his country!
We welcome them to Gruia and as many achievements in our team's shirt!
–The official statement of CFR Cluj
