Islam Slimani is determined to prove he is fit enough to make his Newcastle United debut this weekend.

The 29-year-old striker joined the Magpies on a half-season loan deal from Leicester City on deadline day last month.

But the Algeria international missed the 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace and 1-0 victory over Manchester United earlier this month due to an on-going thigh problem.

However, Slimani has been putting in extra hours on the training ground during Newcastle’s two-week break, brought about due to the Magpies’ early FA Cup exit.

Having taken part in first-team sessions at the Magpies’ Benton Training Centre last week, Slimani then flew home to Algeria over the weekend - where he has conducted additional training sessions by himself at the national team’s complex in Sidi Moussa.

Rafa Benitez granted his Newcastle squad the weekend off - with many players returning home to their families for a couple of days - but they have now reconvened on Tyneside to resume preparations for their trip to the south coast.

Over the coming days, Benitez must decide whether to hand Slimani his Magpies debut at Dean Court on Saturday - when 13th-placed Newcastle take on relegation rivals AFC Bournemouth.

Show Player

Clearly the Algeria forward’s work ethic suggests he is keen to pull on a black-and-white shirt as soon as possible.

“He’s fine, but still he was feeling it a little bit,” Benitez said of Slimani’s injury following the Magpies’ 1-0 victory over Man United earlier this month.

“And it’s a question now of waiting because we have 15 days [actually 13] before the next game, so we can keep working with him.”

Slimani can only play a maximum of 10 games for Newcastle between now and the end of the season. Though the Magpies have 11 Premier League fixtures remaining, Slimani will be ineligible to play against parent club Leicester in April.