Crystal Palace flop Christian Benteke has revealed that he doesn’t want to leave the club and he is looking for stability.
The Eagles striker was recently talking to Belgian outlet Nieuwsblad and he was asked about whether he is considering his future or not. He revealed that his wife loves London and he is looking for stability in his career.
Benteke said: “A while ago [Palace proposed extension offer]. I talked to my agent and my wife. She loves London. We have been living here since 2016 and do not want to disturb the children too much now they are in daycare or go to school,” he said.
“I don’t want to leave. And just go somewhere and leave my family in London, I don’t want to. I am 28 years old; I want stability. I’m not going to leave to play one year somewhere.”
A flop since signing
The former Aston Villa and Liverpool man joined the Eagles from the Anfield-based side for a fee of £27million. He joined the club at the back of a stale spell at Liverpool, where he had played 42 times in all competitions and had scored ten times.
In his ongoing spell at Palace, Benteke has not seen the best time of his career. The Belgian has played 102 times in all competitions for the club, but has scored only 21 times and has racked up nine assists.
This season, Benteke has played 12 times in all competitions for Roy Hodgson’s men. He has failed to find the back of the net in any of the games that he has played whilst he has not been involved in any of the goals.
Benteke’s time at Aston Villa was, arguably, the best of his career. At Villa Park, the striker had made 101 appearances in total for the club and had found the back of the net 49 times and had a tally of 12 assists too.
His best goalscoring spell for Palace came in the 2016-17 campaign when Benteke had 15 goals to his name along with two assists.
TIF Tactics
Benteke’s career has gone downhill since he signed for Liverpool, where Jurgen Klopp sold him on to Palace. Whilst the 2016-17 campaign was a positive, he hasn’t been the same player since. He had missed 22 games last season due to a knee injury.
But Benteke being out of form is affecting Palace. They have scored only 11 goals this season – less than only Watford. The forward being out of form has forced Roy Hodgson to play Jordan Ayew upfront when he isn’t, perhaps, a proper striker.
This would make Palace feel the need for a striker who can genuinely get them 15 goals in a season like Benteke did in the 2016-17 campaign. And because of that, the 28-year-old will likely fall further down the pecking order. It would not be a surprise if a time were to come whereby he will have to consider an exit from Selhurst Park.