Liverpool have activated the buyout clause in Christian Benteke’s contract and agreed a £32.5m fee in principle with Aston Villa. The B...
Liverpool have activated the buyout clause in Christian Benteke’s contract and agreed a £32.5m fee in principle with Aston Villa. The Belgian is expected to have his medical on Monday, according to the Guardian, with Andy Massey, Liverpool’s club doctor flying down to London from Adelaide, where Liverpool are taking part in the preseason tour.
Since April, it was widely speculated that Liverpool might trigger the buyout clause inserted in the Belgian’s contract but Roberto Firmino’s arrival from Hoffeinheim had put question marks on the deal. Aston Villa were reluctant to part with Benteke, but as Tim Sherwood admitted last season, they were powerless to keep the centre forward at Villa Park, once Liverpool came calling.
Benteke should provide Brendan Rodgers with variety upfront. A Premier League tested player, goals should no longer be a problem for the Liverpool frontline, which spectacularly struggled after Suarez’s departure last season. Christian Benteke scored 15 goals in 34 appearances for Aston Villa last season, including the equaliser in their FA Cup semi-final win over Liverpool. His quick recovery from achilles tendon rupture played a crucial role in Villa staying up last season and the forward should thrive with the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Jordan Henderson in the Liverpool midfield.
Aston Villa, meanwhile, need to go back into the transfer market and make a couple of signings to bolster their squad, especially with successive sales of Fabian Delph and Christian Benteke. Tim Sherwood rode on luck and confidence to keep Villa up in the top flight, but the club needs strengthening to repeat the same feat in the upcoming season.
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