OPINION
Everton boss Ronald Koeman should do everything in his power to bring Crystal Palace striker Christian Benteke to the club in the summer transfer window.
There are constant rumours that the Merseyside club are set to lose main man Romelu Lukaku this summer and there would be no better replacement than the 26-year-old man mountain striker.
Since coming to England at the start of the 2012-13 campaign, Benteke has been embroiled in several relegation battles with Aston Villa and Crystal Palace, and his goals have been crucial in saving both clubs from relegation.
The Belgian striker has already experienced life on Merseyside with Liverpool but he was never given a real chance to show his capabilities under German manager Jurgen Klopp.
Everton would be the perfect club for Benteke because he would not need to adapt his style too much – Koeman’s men are already accustomed to playing with one big man up front and providing him with support from the midfield.
At 26 years of age, Benteke needs to be playing European football on a regular basis and the Toffees can provide him the platform of Europa League footballn.
With the 2018 World Cup on the horizon, Benteke needs to show Belgian national boss Roberto Martinez that he is capable of performing on the European stage and dominating defenders just as he does in the Premier League.
The move would not be seen as a gamble as Benteke knows what it takes to compete in the Premier League and he has proven himself to be a serious goal threat throughout his career in England.
Last season he scored 15 goals in 36 Premier League games for struggling Crystal Palace and would be confident of getting 20 goals at a bigger club.
Benteke’s arrival to Goodison Park would surely galvanise the fans and assure the Everton faithful that the club is moving in the right direction.