It would have been crazy for Crystal Palace to have let Christian Benteke go during the summer, says former Premier League midfielder Carlton Palmer.
Benteke’s contract had reached its final month in June before the 30-year-old striker put pen to paper on an extension that will take his spell at Selhurst Park into 2023.
He has managed to make an impact in Palace’s last couple of games, netting the opener in the 1-1 draw against Newcastle United and the Eagles’ first goal in the stalemate with Arsenal prior.
Are you glad Benteke stayed?
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Ultimately, for Palmer, letting Benteke go would not have been the wisest of decisions by Palace. On the Belgium international, the ex-Leeds United and Southampton player exclusively told TIF…
“I’ve always been a fan of Benteke. I know people criticise him and say that he doesn’t score enough goals, but he’s not that type of player. He’s an old-fashioned throwback No.9.
“He’s very, very good in the air, he holds the ball up, he links the play very, very well, especially the way Crystal Palace want to play with the one man up front, and chips in with the odd goal. So when you’re not blessed with a serious transfer kitty, it would’ve been crazy for them to have let him go.”
With those two goals against Arsenal and Newcastle, the former Liverpool man has already equalled his tally from the 2019/20 season and bettered his record from the 2018/19 campaign.
If he keeps this up, he should be on course for a similar season to the last, where he just about managed to reach double figures in the Premier League.