Why Aston Villa should go all out to sign Crystal Palace’s Christian Benteke
According to Belgian publication Het Belang van Limburg, via Sport Witness (h/t The Birmingham Mail), Aston Villa are interested in signing Crystal Palace striker Christian Benteke on loan.
The Villans are currently in 16th place after 24 games, two points above Bournemouth in 18th. They have signed Pepe Reina, Danny Drinkwater and Mbwana Samatta till now in the January transfer window.
Aston Villa have not enjoyed a good season upon their return to the Premier League. They have been unlucky with long-term injuries to key players such as Wesley Moraes, Tom Heaton and John McGinn. Dean Smith’s attacking options have been severely dented as Wesley has been ruled out for the rest of the season.
Wesley, who has scored six times this season, has been sidelined with a serious knee injury sustained against Burnley on New Year’s Day, while Jonathan Kodjia has moved to Qatari side Al-Gharafa on loan for the rest of the season. The Villans were left with only Keinan Davis as a striker option before they signed Samatta earlier this week.
The additions of Drinkwater and Reina have helped Smith replace McGinn and Heaton until the end of the season. However, with Wesley ruled out and Kodjia having departed the club, Smith needs to bring in another striker apart from Samatta. That makes Villa’s interest in re-signing Christian Benteke logical.
Benteke, 29, joined Villa from Genk in 2012 and spent three seasons at Villa Park, netting an eye-catching 49 goals in 101 games before moving on to Liverpool. He endured a torrid season at Liverpool and left Anfield a year later to join Crystal Palace.
The Belgian international enjoyed an excellent debut campaign with Crystal Palace as he netted 15 goals in 36 league games. His productivity in front of the goal massively dipped next season and yet, he managed three goals and six assists in 31 games. However, injury problems in the last two years have affected Benteke’s form.
He scored just one goal in the entire 2018/19 campaign and is still waiting for his first goal this season. The striker has fired blanks in 15 league games for the Eagles.
Regardless of the 29-year-old’s struggles with fitness and form over the last couple of years, it is worth noting that he did prove himself at Villa earlier. Considering his Premier League experience, he would be a safe option to consider for Smith.
Verdict
Benteke needs a fresh start and Aston Villa must offer him a chance to resurrect his career. Thus, the Villans must do everything possible to sign the Belgian on loan.
