Crystal Palace striker Christian Benteke looks on. (Getty Images)
Christian Benteke is far from the towering and tormenting attacker he once was. The big Belgian moved from Aston Villa to Liverpool back in 2015 and his career has only spiralled downward since then.
He joined Crystal Palace a year later and while Benteke looked confident in the early stages, he soon began to falter. Eventually, Wilfried Zaha was tasked with leading the line for the Eagles. Zaha sparkled in his newfound role, and he ultimately edged Benteke out of the side.
Furthermore, the arrival of Norwegian striker Alexander Sorloth will only push Benteke lower in the pecking order. Hence, the Eagles could be looking to offload the striker this summer. Here, we take a look at three clubs Benteke could join to reignite his long-lost form.
With the Wolves making their return to the Premier League, they could be looking to add a few quality players. Benteke would make an appropriate addition to their squad. The Wolves are on the back of a Championship win and will now be looking to become a force to reckon with in the English top-flight.
To that end, Benteke would surely add a new dimension to their attack with his aerial threat and commanding presence. The Wanderers may also lose Benik Afobe, meaning they will require a backup. Benteke could feed off the supply from Barry Douglas, who assisted a whopping 14 goals from the wing-back position the last term. It would be a big gamble from manager Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, but one which could prove to be a huge hit.
Neil Warnock’s Cardiff City are another team to have found their way into the Premier League. Much like Wolves, Cardiff will also be keen to add some firepower to their squad before the start of the new season.
The Bluebirds put up a good fight for the title but eventually finished second behind Wolverhampton Wanderers. Cardiff’s Canadian striker Junior Hoilett was their top-scorer with 9 goals in the league.
If they make a move for the Crystal Palace star, Benteke and Hoilett could establish a solid partnership that could do some damage. Once again, it will be a huge gamble, but one that could change Cardiff’s season.
Aston Villa were responsible for transforming Benteke into one of the league’s most feared strikers at one point. The player had chipped in with an impressive 42 goals over 89 appearances for the Villans. A return to his former club could help the 27-year-old reignite his career and return to his thunderous form.
Villa failed to make it to the Premier League by narrowly losing to Fulham in the playoff final, but Benteke could be the one to lead them back to the Premier League. Lewis Grabban was Villa’s top scorer with 20 goals, and with Benteke by his side, the Villans could go on to achieve glory under Steve Bruce.
