According to The Guardian, Leicester City refused to let striker Islam Slimani join West Ham United due to previous comments made by vice-chairman Karren Brady.
The Foxes may have splashed a huge fee to sign Slimani from Portuguese side Sporting in the summer of 2016, but have barely used the Algerian, handing him just two Premier League starts this season.
On deadline day, Slimani got his move away from the King Power Stadium, joining Newcastle on loan until the end of the season to boost Rafael Benitez's attacking options, and may hope to use his time on Tyneside to be the springboard for a permanent move.
Now, The Guardian report that Newcastle had to beat a Premier League rival to land Slimani's signature, as Leicester refused to send the striker to West Ham United.
It's claimed that West Ham wanted to snap up Slimani on deadline day, but Leicester downright refused to do business with the Hammers over comments made by Hammers vice-chairman Karren Brady.
Brady criticised Leicester owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha after the sacking of Claudio Ranieri in 2017, and despite numerous attempts from West Ham to apologise, it's stated that the Foxes simply refused to let Slimani make a move ot the London Stadium.
Slimani got his move to Newcastle, and West Ham did land a striker in Jordan Hugill, but relations between West Ham and Leicester appear to be frayed, if reports are to be believed.
NEWCASTLE 1 BURNLEY 1 (Lascelles)
Darlow, Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Atsu (Murphy 64), Diamé, Merino, Kenedy (Ritchie 72), Pérez (Gayle 85), Joselu
Subs: Shelvey, Gayle, Hayden, Manquillo, Woodman
CHELSEA 3 NEWCASTLE 0
Darlow, Manquillo (Murphy 77), Mbemba, Lascelles, Clark, Haidara, Hayden (Atsu 83), Saivet, Shelvey, Ritchie, Gayle (Joselu 64),
Subs: Dummett, Diamé, Yedlin, Woodman
MAN CITY 3 NEWCASTLE 1 (Murphy)
Darlow, Manquillo (Yedlin 66), Hayden, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Murphy, Shelvey, Diamé, Atsu (Pérez 64), Joselu (Gayle 76)
Subs: Elliot, Ritchie, Merino, Haidara
NEWCASTLE 1 SWANSEA 1 (Joselu)
Darlow, Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Shelvey (Merino 82), Diamé, Ritchie, Pérez, Atsu, Gayle (Joselu 64)
Subs: Elliot, Murphy, Hayden, Manquillo, Haidara
FAC NEWCASTLE 3 LUTON TOWN 1 (Perez 2, Shelvey)
Woodman, Manquillo, Lascelles (Hayden 30), Clark, Dummett, Murphy, Shelvey (Diamé 71), Merino (Saivet 81), Ritchie, Pérez, Gayle
Subs: Aarons, Joselu, Haidara, Darlow
STOKE CITY 0 NEWCASTLE 1 (Perez)
Darlow, Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Manquillo, Shelvey, Diamé, Murphy (Dummett 82), Atsu (Gayle 64), Ritchie, Pérez (Hayden 90).
Subs: Joselu, Merino, Haidara, Woodman
NEWCASTLE 0 BRIGHTON 0
Darlow, Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Ritchie (Pérez 72), Hayden, Merino (Shelvey 76), Atsu, Joselu (Murphy 84), Gayle
Subs: Diamé, Mbemba, Manquillo, Woodman
NEWCASTLE 0 MAN CITY 1
Elliot, Yedlin, Mbemba (Merino 77), Lascelles, Dummett, Manquillo, Aarons (Atsu 71), Diamé, Shelvey, Murphy, Joselu (Gayle 62).
Sub: Clark, Ritchie, Pérez, Darlow
WEST HAM 2 NEWCASTLE 3 (Saivet, Diamé, Atsu)
Elliot, Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Manquillo, Ritchie, Saivet (Mbemba 84'), Diamé, Atsu (Murphy 90+1'), Gayle (Pérez 76'), Joselu
Subs: Dummett, Aarons, Haidara, Darlow
ARSENAL 1 NEWCASTLE 0
Elliot, Yedlin, Lascelles, Lejeune, Manquillo, Murphy (Gayle 67), Merino (Diamé 82), Hayden, Atsu (Ritchie 54), Joselu, Pérez
Subs: Clark, Dummett, Aarons, Darlow
NEWCASTLE 0 EVERTON 1
Darlow, Yedlin, Lascelles, Lejeune, Manquillo, Merino (Pérez 86), Shelvey, Atsu, Diamé (Joselu 67), Ritchie (Aarons 74), Gayle
Subs: Elliot, Clark, Murphy, Hayden
NEWCASTLE 2 LEICESTER CITY 3 (Joselu, Gayle)
Darlow, Yedlin, LejeuneBooked, Clark, Manquillo, Ritchie (Atsu 64), Hayden, Merino, Murphy (Pérez 71), Joselu (Mitrovic 88), Gayle
Subs: Elliot, Lascelles, Shelvey, Diamé
CHELSEA 3 NEWCASTLE 1 (Gayle)
Darlow, Mbemba, Lejeune, Clark, Manquillo, Diamé (Shelvey 75), Merino (Yedlin 85), Ritchie, Murphy, Pérez (Hayden 62), Gayle
Subs: Elliot, Aarons, Joselu, Mitrovic
WEST BROM 2 NEWCASTLE 2 (Clark, Rondon og)
Darlow, Yedlin, Lejeune, Clark, Mbemba, Hayden (Shelvey 80), Merino, Ritchie, Pérez, Murphy (Aarons 64), Joselu (Mitrovic 73)
Subs: Elliot, Gayle, Diamé, Manquillo
NEWCASTLE 0 WATFORD 3
Elliot, Yedlin, Lejeune, Clark, Manquillo, Ritchie, Shelvey, Diamé (Merino 69), Murphy (Pérez 77), Gayle, Joselu (Mitrovic 69)
Subs: Aarons, Mbemba, Darlow, Gámez
MAN UTD 4 NEWCASTLE 1 (Gayle)
Elliot, Yedlin, Lejeune, Clark, Manquillo, Murphy, Hayden, Shelvey, Ritchie (Aarons 66), Gayle (Diamé 77), Joselu (Mitrovic 71)
Subs: Pérez, Mbemba, Darlow, Gámez
NEWCASTLE 0 BOURNEMOUTH 1
Elliot, Yedlin, Lascelles (Clark 55), Lejeune, Manquillo, Ritchie, Hayden, Shelvey, Atsu (Murphy 82), Gayle, Joselu (Pérez 68)
Subs: Diamé, Darlow, Gámez, Mitrovic
BURNLEY 1 NEWCASTLE 0
Elliot, Yedlin, Lascelles, Lejeune, Manquillo, Shelvey, Diamé (Gayle 83), Ritchie (Murphy 79), Pérez (Hayden 76), Atsu, Joselu
Subs: Clark, Saivet, Darlow, Gámez
NEWCASTLE 1 CRYSTAL PALACE 0 ((Merino)
Elliot, Yedlin, Lascelles, Lejeune, Manquillo, Hayden (Merino 56), Shelvey, Ritchie, Pérez (Diamé 66), Atsu, Joselu (Mitrovic 78)
Subs: Clark, Murphy, Darlow, Gámez
SOUTHAMPTON 2 NEWCASTLE 2 (Hayden, Perez)
Elliot, Yedlin, Lascelles, Lejeune, Manquillo, Ritchie, Shelvey, Hayden, Atsu (Murphy 82), Perez (Merino 63), Joselu (Gayle 69).
Subs: Darlow, Clark, Gamez, Diame.
NEWCASTLE 1 LIVERPOOL 1 (Joselu)
Elliot, Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Manquillo, Shelvey, Merino (Hayden 74), Ritchie, Pérez (Diamé 90+1), Atsu, Joselu (Gayle 79)
Subs: Murphy, Lejeune, Darlow, Gámez
BRIGHTON 1 NEWCASTLE 0
Elliot, Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Mbemba (Gámez 83'), Hayden (Shelvey 68'), Merino, Ritchie, Pérez, Atsu, Joselu (Gayle 71')
Subs: Murphy, Diamé, Manquillo, Darlow
NEWCASTLE 2 STOKE CITY 1 (Atsu, Lascelles)
Elliot, Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Mbemba, Hayden (Shelveyat 69'), Merino, Ritchie, Pérez (Diamé 86'), Atsu, Joselu (Gayle 78')
Subs: Murphy, Manquillo, Lejeune, Woodman
SWANSEA 0 NEWCASTLE 1 (Lascelles)
Elliot, Manquillo, Clark, Lascelles, Gamez, Hayden (Diame 69), Merino, Ritchie, Perez, Murphy (Atsu 59), Joselu (Gayle 78).
Unused subs: Shelvey, Lejeune, Yedlin, Woodman.
NEWCASTLE 3 WEST HAM 0 (Clark, Joselu, Mitrovic)
Elliot, Manquillo, Lascelles, Clark, Mbemba, Merino, Hayden (Diaméat 82'), Ritchie (Murphy 88'), Pérez, Atsu, Joselu (Mitrovic 72')
Subs: Aarons, Saivet. Gámez, Woodman
LC NEWCASTLE 2 NOTTINGHAM FOREST 3 (Mitrovic, Aarons)
Darlow; Sterry (Lazaar, 58), Hanley, Mbemba, Gamez; Saivet, Barlaser (Hayden, 70); Murphy, Diame, Aarons (Ritchie, 76); Mitrovic (Joselu, 105).
Subs not used: Woodman, Lascelles, Manquillo.
HUDDERSFIELD 1 NEWCASTLE 0
Elliot, Manquillo, Lascelles, Clark, Mbemba, Hayden (Diame 76), Merino, Atsu, Perez (Murphy 80), Ritchie, Gayle (Joselu 52).
Subs not used: Saivet, Aarons, Darlow, Mitrovic.
NEWCASTLE 0 TOTTENHAM 2
Elliot, Manquillo, Lejeune (Mbemba 34'), Clark, Dummett (Lascelles 7'), Shelvey, Hayden, Ritchie, Pérez, Atsu, Gayle (Merinoat 76')
Subs: Murphy, Aarons, Merino, Darlow, Mitrovic
PRE-SEASON
NEWCASTLE 2 HELLAS VERONA 0 (Perez, Atsu)
Elliot (Darlow 64), Manquillo (Gamez 64), Lejeune (Lascelles 64), Clark (Mbemba 64), Dummett (Merino 64), Ritchie, Shelvey (Aarons 64), Hayden, Atsu (Murphy 64), Perez (De Jong 72), Mitrovic (Diame 64)
WOLFSBERG 1 NEWCASTLE 3 (Mitrovic, Ritchie Pen, Atsu)
Elliot (Darlow, 70), Manquillo (Mbemba, 70), Lejeune (Lascelles, 70), Clark, Dummett (Gamez, 70), Ritchie (Murphy, 70), Shelvey, Hayden (Merino, 70), Atsu (Aarons, 70), Perez (de Jong, 70), Mitrovic (Diame, 46).
Subs not used: Colback, Gayle.
MAINZ 2 NEWCASTLE 1 (Gamez)
Darlow (Woodman 60), Yedlin (Manquillo 27), Clark (Mbemba 46), Lejuene (Merino 79), Dummett (Gamez 46), Colback (Shelvey 60), Diame (Perez 60), Murphy (Hayden 60), Ritchie (Aarons 46), De Jong (Atsu 60), Mitrovic (Gayle 60)
BRADFORD CITY 0 NEWCASTLE 4 (Gayle, Murphy 2, Mitrovic)
Elliot (Woodman, 61), Yedlin (Manquillo, 46), Lejeune (Mbemba, 61), Clark (Saivet, 77), Dummett (Gamez, 61), Atsu (De Jong, 61), Shelvey (Aarons, 61), Hayden (Colback, 77), Ritchie (Murphy, 46), Perez (Diame, 46), Gayle (Mitrovic, 61).
PRESTON 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (Mitrovic)
Elliot (Darlow, 46, Woodman, 70), Mbemba, Hanley (Yedlin, 46), Lejeune (Manquillo, 77), Dummett (Clark, 46), Atsu (Murphy, 46), Diame (Colback, 46), Shelvey (Hayden, 46), Aarons (Perez, 46), de Jong (Roberts, 62), Mitrovic (Gayle, 46).
HEARTS 1 NEWCASTLE 2 (Gayle 2)
Elliot (Woodman 63), Aarons(Gamez 46), Clark (Dummett 46), Mbemba (Hanley 62), Lascelles (Lejeune 46), Haidara (Colback 62), Shelvey (Saivet 46), Diame (Armstrong 62), De Jong (Lazaar 75), Atsu (Perez 46), Gayle (Mitrovic 46)
SUNDAY, 4 FEBRUARY 2018
Crystal Palace 14:15 Newcastle
SUNDAY, 11 FEBRUARY 2018
Newcastle 14:15 Man Utd
SATURDAY, 24 FEBRUARY 2018
Bournemouth 15:00 Newcastle
SATURDAY, 3 MARCH 2018
Liverpool 17:30 Newcastle
SATURDAY, 10 MARCH 2018
Newcastle 15:00 Southampton
FRIDAY, 16 MARCH 2018
Tottenham v Newcastle 20:00