Islam Slimani's CFR Cluj contract terminated by mutual consent
CFR Cluj have announced the departure of Algeria striker Islam Slimani, with the club and player agreeing to terminate his contract. The 37-year-old's contract has been terminated by mutual consent after just four months and 16 appearances for the Romanian club.
The Romanian club confirmed the departure via a short statement on their official social media channels, thanking the forward for his service. Slimani, who joined the club as a free agent in September last year, scored one goal and provided two assists during his brief spell in Romania. The club's statement read: "The Club and the player have reached an agreement to terminate the contract. We thank him for his work and wish him the best of luck in his future career."
The experienced Algerian international, who is his country's all-time top scorer, made the move to Cluj last autumn after a brief spell in the Belgian league. Slimani, a former Sporting CP and Leicester City striker, has had a storied career spanning 14 clubs across seven countries, with CFR Cluj representing his 14th different team. His time in Romania, however, proved to be short-lived and statistically underwhelming.
Slimani's departure marks another chapter in a nomadic career that has seen him play in Portugal, England, France, Belgium, and now Romania. The 37-year-old, who is Algeria's all-time leading goalscorer, has not featured for the national team since the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. His release from CFR Cluj, where he made only nine league starts, suggests the club and player have decided to part ways early, just a few months into a one-year contract.
For CFR Cluj, the move represents a swift end to a transfer that had been seen as a significant coup for the Romanian SuperLiga side. Slimani's experience and goalscoring pedigree were expected to be a major asset, but the partnership did not yield the anticipated impact. The club is now expected to seek a new forward in the transfer market to fill the void left by the veteran striker's departure. For Slimani, the search for a new club begins again, with the veteran striker now a free agent and free to negotiate with any club.
