Aston Villa journalist James Rushton has shared his thoughts on a potential Villa Park return for Crystal Palace striker Christian Benteke.
This comes after Rushton recently made an appearance on the Birmingham Mail’s Claret & Blue Podcast to talk about a range of topics concerning Dean Smith’s side.
After it was recently reported that Palace could let Benteke leave the club for £8 million this summer, Rushton shared his thoughts on whether or not Villa should try and sign the Belgian.
He said: “You’ve got to consider the wage as well, if you’re bringing in a player that doesn’t fit inside Villa’s wage structure on £110k a week or whatever – unless he’s going to take a wage cut, which he could possibly do.
“If he’s coming in Villa to be the main guy, I mean, in 2016 that would be amazing; in 2020, I’m not so sure and I feel like the club should look in a different direction.
“£8 million sounds cheap when you consider the whole package; the opportunity cost – that takes £8 million away from a better winger, a better striker, even. If it’s taking £8 million out of another potential deal and a massive wage package, I’m not with it.”
Villa first signed Benteke back in the 2012 summer transfer window from KRC Genk for a fee of £7.92 million. During his spell at Villa Park, the Belgian scored 49 goals and provided 12 assists in 101 total appearances for the Birmingham club before he moved to Liverpool in a deal worth £41.85 million.
The 2019/20 Premier League season saw Benteke make 24 league appearances for Palace in which he only managed to score two goals and provide one assist throughout the campaign.
Would you take Benteke back at Villa for £8m this summer?
Yes
No
TIF Thoughts…
Looking at Benteke’s poor goals and assists record for Palace last season in the Premier League, it’s not surprising that Rushton thinks Villa would be wise to avoid bringing Benteke back to Villa Park this summer.
Also, with Villa currently having Wesley, Scott Hogan, Keinan Davis and Mbwana Samatta in their squad who can play in the centre-forward position, maybe that position isn’t somewhere Villa need to focus on in terms of adding players to the squad.