According to reports from The Express this morning, Liverpool are ready to launch another bid for Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke.
The Belgium international ended the 2014/15 campaign in a blaze of incredible form, netting twelve times in his final 13 outings – including a Premier League hat-trick against Queens Park Rangers – to bring his Villains total to 49 goals in 99 appearances across all competitions.
That, in combination with the revelation that his Villa Park contract includes a £32.5million release clause, has generated plenty of interest in the 24 year-old.
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Manchester United launched an enquiry into Villa’s valuation of the 6 foot 3 target man last month and The Guardian’s Jamie Jackson confirmed yesterday afternoon that he’s still on their radar, whilst Liverpool have already made a £22million bid.
And The Express now claim that the all but officially confirmed sale of Raheem Sterling to Manchester City will trigger another bid from the Anfield outfit, who are determined to sign Benteke for less than his release clause.
Interestingly, after rejecting a contract extension last month, the former Genk prodigy failed to make it off the bench for the first fixture of Villa’s pre-season tour – heightening speculation that he’ll leave the Birmingham side this summer.
On and on and on rumbles the Liverpool Benteke saga. Seems they can ask £50m for Sterling but feel its o.k. to get someone in cheaper than the asking price I would tell them Benteke is now £37.5m so take it all leave it. Two fingers up to Rogers and his wheeler dealers.