Injury nightmare pushes Slimani close as 18-cap figure heads top-five worst Newcastle loan flops
COMMENT
It is fair to say that Islam Slimani has suffered something of a nightmare with injury since arriving at Newcastle United during the January transfer window.
The Algerian was meant to be the hitman who fired the Magpies to Premier League safety after leaving Leicester City temporarily, but a groin strain means he is yet to feature for the club, in what is quickly developing into a flop of a move.
After the success of fellow January arrivals Kenedy and Martin Dubravka, also on loan, the 29-year-old forward has seven Premier League games to rescue himself or be judged among some abysmal company when it comes to failed loan signings.
The Magpies have had a knack of picking out the very worst temporary captures in recent years, despite the players sounding pretty good on paper, and every game that Slimani misses pushes him ever closer to breaking the top five.
For now though, he remains off the list, as Football Insider picks out the most disastrous loan signings from the past, including one man who somehow managed to pick up 18 caps for his country.
Click below to find out who sits fifth in our top five worst Newcastle United loanees...
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5. Stephen Ireland
Signed from: Aston Villa - Appearances: 2 - Goals: 0
A deadline day signing during the 2011 January window, like Slimani, Ireland arrived at St James' Park carrying an injury, which limited his playing time to a total of 48 minutes from two substitute appearances.
This was meant to be a deal which could have been turned permanent but his lack of playing time, which culminated in him picking up an ankle injury and returning to Villa, as well as some off-the-pitch controversy, meant it was never going to work out.
Had it not been for injury, he could well have made something of himself on Tyneside, and is currently plying his trade with Stoke City.
Click below to find out who sits fourth in our top five worst Newcastle United loanees...
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4. Luuk De Jong
Signed from: Borussia Monchengladbach - Appearances: 12 - Goals: 0
Originally a Newcastle target during the summer window of 2012, the Dutch forward moved to Germany instead, but was still at St James' Park a year-and-a-half later, putting pen to paper on a loan move during the 2014 January window.
However, despite appearing in all but three of the Magpies' matches following his arrival, he failed to find his shooting boots, chipping in with just one assist.
Luckily for the Dutch international, fellow loanee Loic Remy had been in fine form, and helped the club to a 10th placed finish, while De Jong went on to join PSV Eindhoven that summer.
Click below to find out who sits third in our top five worst Newcastle United loanees...
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3. Facundo Ferrerya
Signed from: Shakhtar Donetsk - Appearances: 0 - Goals: 0
After Luuk De Jong's failure to impress and Loic Remy leaving the club after his loan spell in 2014, Newcastle eyed another temporary swoop, working to bring in Argentine forward Facundo Ferreyra in the summer.
If the Magpies thought it could not get any worse, they were wrong.
The Shakhtar Donetsk forward failed to settle in and admitted to struggle with the physicality of the Premier League, proceeding to not make a single appearance all season as Newcastle lacked any cutting edge up front, having also brought in fellow flop Emmanuel Riviere.
With 27 goals in 35 appearances during the 2017/18 season, including three in the Champions League, it makes you wonder whether the Magpies got their hands on an impersonator instead of the real deal.
Click below to find out who sits second in our top five worst Newcastle United loanees...
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2. Seydou Doumbia
Signed from: Roma - Appearances: 3 - Goals: 0
With the Magpies battling relegation in the Premier League, Steve McClaren turned to Ivory Coast international Doumbia to help fire the club to safety, having proven himself for CSKA Moscow on another loan deal.
However, it could not have gone much worse.
With just three appearances, all from the substitutes' bench, the pacey front man failed to show any sort of cutting edge, and his time on Tyneside ended with the ignominy of relegation.
Supposed to be a saviour, he was a total failure, hence his high/low position on the list.
Click below to find out who sits top of our top five worst Newcastle United loanees...
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1. Ignacio 'Nacho' Gonzalez
Signed from: Valencia - Appearances: 2 - Goals: 0
The most infamous of loan signings the club has ever completed, not many players can claim to be a direct reason behind the departure of one of the club's legends as manager.
However, that claim to fame is something Gonzalez will have around his neck until the end of time.
The attacking midfielder was brought to St James' Park back in 2008, although, as it turned out, it was a move which was against then-manager Kevin Keegan's wishes, which was a catalyst to his departure not soon after.
Two appearances in, Gonzalez suffered a severe injury and never appeared for the club again, but his name popped up in 2009 as Keegan won a lawsuit over his signing, the deal being judged to be in breach of the former England star's contract as manager.
A complete farce of a loan move, Gonzalez somehow managed to pick up 18 caps for Uruguay, but in spite of his international recognition is well deserving of top place on this list.
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