The Belgium favours a move to Selhurst Park rather than West Brom
Want-away Liverpool striker Christian Benteke is understood to favour a move to London club Crystal Palace, ahead of West Bromwich Albion.
The 25-year-old endured a tough first season at Anfield, netting just nine league goals, once in the Europa League, and made just 14 league starts for the Reds, having fallen down the pecking order following Jurgen Klopp’s arrival in October.
With big money being spent by the top Premier League clubs this summer, the rest of the chasing pack have been forced to bolster their attacking options, and Crystal Palace are understood to be leading the race for Benteke.
Belgian journalist Kristof Terreur tweeted: “Situation unchanged 24h later. West Brom are interested, but ‘Big Ben’ wants Palace move.”
And that news will be a big boost to Alan Pardew, whose side saw a £25 million bid rebuffed by the Reds last month, and have now reignited their interest, with it understood that the Baggies also want to bring the Belgian international to the Hawthorns.
Tony Pulis is eagerly looking for a new goalscorer, with striker Saido Berahino unsettled at the Hawthorns, and wanting a move away from the club.
Meanwhile, fellow suitors West Ham recently secured the loan signing of Argentina striker Jonathan Calleri, which may mean they will cool their interest in Benteke.
However, if either Palace or West Brom are to win the race to sign the ex-Villa man, they will have to stump up the £32.5 million Liverpool paid to sign the striker from Aston Villa, just last year.
Palace reopened their talks with the club yesterday, and Klopp has already indirectly told the south London club to up their offer if they are to stand a chance of signing the Belgian, otherwise the German will find a role for him within his side, if no one meets the club’s valuation.
“Everyone knows about it. Christian has already said maybe it makes sense to go to another club. Christian is still a really great striker.” said Klopp.
“We have a few more strikers and I think it makes more sense to give them match time.
“But if there are clubs that want a real striker than they have to make real offers otherwise we will find solutions. A few clubs try to gamble but we are not part of this, we are serious.”
Daniel Sturridge, Divock Origi, Danny Ings, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino are all ahead of Benteke in Klopp’s pecking order, and with no signs of a future at Anfield, the striker is keen to get out of the club and start a new chapter in his career, elsewhere.
