Unlike Mario Balotelli, Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke is a popular figure amongst ex-LFC players, and Dietmar Hamann is the latest Liverpool legend to urge the club to sign the powerful attacker this summer.
When asked on Wednesday if Liverpool should sign £30m-rated Benteke, Hamann raved:
"Yes, absolutely. Benteke [is] top of my list. He's the best LFC can get. The fella is awesome. [I've] never seen [Martin] Skrtel bullied by someone like he did at Wembley. He's a monster [and a] goal machine. A perfect fit."
More praise for Benteke:
* John Aldridge: "He [Benteke] is a proven performer and a real handful leading the line. He might not be a typical Rodgers type of player, but I think he would be great for Liverpool"
* Stan Collymore: “Benteke can become a great European central striker, he’s a potential European superstar. Over the next four of five years Villa need to build a team around him.”
* Brendan Rodgers: "[Christian] Benteke is one of the very top players at this level. He makes great runs and scores goals, and he caused us lots of problems."
* Jamie Carragher: “He [Benteke] has been a brilliant player for Villa but they’ve always been fighting relegation when he’s been there and he’s always been the one who’s dragged them out".
Liverpool fans don't share all this enthusiasm, though. Earlier this month, I ran a poll on the site asking fans if LFC should sign Benteke:
* 58% of participants voted NO to Benteke signing for Liverpool.
Given Benteke's imperious goal record against Liverpool, this is a surprising result in some ways, but it (arguably) shows that fans are sick of seeing the club pay over the odds for average-to-good Premier League players.
Granted, Benteke is a cut above that, but £30m is way too much for a player who's suffered injury problems and inconsistent form for most of the last two seasons.
One possible positive is Benteke's admiration for ex-Red Luis Suarez. Last season, he outlined what he perceives to be the Uruguayan's best qualities:
“He [Suarez] just keeps going. It’s a lesson for every player. If a striker tries to do something and loses the ball he will lose his hope and his confidence. But Suarez never, he will always try try try again until he scores a goal. That’s why he is a great player.”
Benteke is far more likely than Balotelli to follow Suarez's 'never give up' attitude, and he has displayed that against Liverpool on several occasions, including the recent FA Cup semi-final.
If - as his comments suggest - Benteke models himself on Suarez, then that can only enhance his game, and that could make him quite an asset for Liverpool.
£30m, though? It just seems like too much of a risk. That said, beggars can't be choosers, and as Hamann states, after failing to qualify for the Champions League, Benteke is probably 'the best Liverpool can get' right now...
Author: Jaimie K
When asked on Wednesday if Liverpool should sign £30m-rated Benteke, Hamann raved:
"Yes, absolutely. Benteke [is] top of my list. He's the best LFC can get. The fella is awesome. [I've] never seen [Martin] Skrtel bullied by someone like he did at Wembley. He's a monster [and a] goal machine. A perfect fit."
More praise for Benteke:
* John Aldridge: "He [Benteke] is a proven performer and a real handful leading the line. He might not be a typical Rodgers type of player, but I think he would be great for Liverpool"
* Stan Collymore: “Benteke can become a great European central striker, he’s a potential European superstar. Over the next four of five years Villa need to build a team around him.”
* Brendan Rodgers: "[Christian] Benteke is one of the very top players at this level. He makes great runs and scores goals, and he caused us lots of problems."
* Jamie Carragher: “He [Benteke] has been a brilliant player for Villa but they’ve always been fighting relegation when he’s been there and he’s always been the one who’s dragged them out".
Liverpool fans don't share all this enthusiasm, though. Earlier this month, I ran a poll on the site asking fans if LFC should sign Benteke:
* 58% of participants voted NO to Benteke signing for Liverpool.
Given Benteke's imperious goal record against Liverpool, this is a surprising result in some ways, but it (arguably) shows that fans are sick of seeing the club pay over the odds for average-to-good Premier League players.
Granted, Benteke is a cut above that, but £30m is way too much for a player who's suffered injury problems and inconsistent form for most of the last two seasons.
One possible positive is Benteke's admiration for ex-Red Luis Suarez. Last season, he outlined what he perceives to be the Uruguayan's best qualities:
“He [Suarez] just keeps going. It’s a lesson for every player. If a striker tries to do something and loses the ball he will lose his hope and his confidence. But Suarez never, he will always try try try again until he scores a goal. That’s why he is a great player.”
Benteke is far more likely than Balotelli to follow Suarez's 'never give up' attitude, and he has displayed that against Liverpool on several occasions, including the recent FA Cup semi-final.
If - as his comments suggest - Benteke models himself on Suarez, then that can only enhance his game, and that could make him quite an asset for Liverpool.
£30m, though? It just seems like too much of a risk. That said, beggars can't be choosers, and as Hamann states, after failing to qualify for the Champions League, Benteke is probably 'the best Liverpool can get' right now...
Author: Jaimie K
Jaimie , As you so rightly said " beggars can't be choosers "
ReplyDeleteThere is a massive difference between expectation and reality as to the players Liverpool can attract !
I like Christian Benteke but we shouldn't spend more than 25mn on him. Good striker.
ReplyDeleteI think he's too good for Liverpool, he will go to a big club
ReplyDeleteNot good enough for LFC
ReplyDeleteI think a lot more of us would be saying yes if it wasn't for the silly amount of money we'd have to pay. 20 mill but not 30 plus. I'm trying to think which players we've bought from teams lowers in our own league that have turned out to be outstanding gif us ??? Henderson is the closest I can think of. Charley Adam, downing, Allen, Carroll , Lovren, lallana , konciesky, mignolet, lambert etc . We're pribably be adding Ings to that list come the end of next season too and anyone else we end up buying from Southampton, burnley etc .think of the players we've bought in from outside of thd premiership, Suarez , Torres , Hypia, Alonso Coutinho etc . I personally would be doing all my transfers away from the premiership . Prices arng do inflated for a start . I would stay away from English ie Milner and Ings . I don't think they'll do much for us in my opinion . What's the point in watching the lower teams in our league bringing in the bonys and the bentekes for a reasonable price only for us to then go and pay a stupid amount in the hope they do as well . Maybe we should be doing what they do and look at the other leagues for a a better priced star
ReplyDeleteDav and Dave are you the same person?
ReplyDeleteThe price of Benteke is dictated by the market, our evaluation and Liverpool's evaluation is irrelevant; the selling club dictates price! Three of our best strikers in the past came from the 'lower leagues' Keegan, Aldridge and Rush so IMO 5m for Ings is a no brainer.
ReplyDeleteProblem is lfc's slowness in the transfer market. Could have made a move at least 1-2 years ago for 15-20mill. Now we have to eat humble pie and say he's the best we can get and pay through the roof for him.We could.have got him for.next to nothing as lfc had a partnership with Genk, Benteke's Belgium club. One would thing the scouts had an eye open. By the way lfc also missed out on Curtois & Kevin de Brunel. Our scouting or lack of it is one of the reasons we get ripped off continuously.
ReplyDeleteTwo sides of a split personality?
ReplyDeleteIngs is out of contract fool
ReplyDeleteWhat you say is so true,
ReplyDeleteBut the minute you say Liverpool , the price goes up and the expectation on the player is far greater .
How about this: Villa know we've got a top-class striker and they're not going to sell him below his worth. If Lukaku went for £28mil Benteke is worth £40mil – he is really that good. He does everything – good technique, power, pace, intelligent. If you think you can get him for £20million you're dreaming.
ReplyDeleteYou could have got him for £8million when he was at Genk – like we did. Otherwise you're totally wrong. Spurs were bidding close to £25million after his first season and we told them to do one. He has the potential to be one of the best strikers in Europe. He's a beast as it is.
ReplyDeleteHe's too good for us. Probably sign for one of the big boys. Man U or Everton get my bet.
ReplyDeleteYes, because Everton is one of the big boys.
ReplyDeleteAll sounds suspiciously like Lukaku last season to me.
ReplyDelete