Most Liverpool fans are scoffing at the valuation of Christian Benteke by Aston Villa. The club demands at least £32.5 million for the Belgian hot shot and Liverpool are not willing to meet that amount but reports are suggesting they would still try to sign the 24-year-old as they try to fix the problem of not having scored enough goals last season.
Benteke, once back from injury, was outstanding for Aston Villa and it was thanks to his stellar form at the end of last season that saw Villa pick up vital points to ensure another season of Premier League football and also took them to the FA Cup final.
Benteke might be one of the best strikers out there but we give you three reasons as to why Benteke is not needed at Liverpool.
The dearth of strikers at Liverpool
Even if we remove the likes of Fabio Borini and Rickie Lambert, Liverpool still have a glut of strikers who can do the job for them next season. Divock Origi would finally join Liverpool after his loan spell at Lille ended, Danny Ings has signed for the club and Daniel Sturridge, after missing almost all of last season can get back to scoring goals like he used to. Mario Balotelli is the X factor here, he could come up big this season or he could self-destruct, like he is known to do.
Bringing Benteke in with that much money is madness, especially with so many striking options. They should rather spend it on getting a central defender into the team.
Liverpool play with just one striker up top
This one is up for debate, Liverpool did play with two strikers in Suarez and Sturridge a couple of seasons ago and they were lethal but they had a trio of quick players who were hammering the opposition at all times. Last season we saw that, without the pace of Sturridge, Liverpool’s game was rather poor.
Getting Benteke in might give them an edge in terms of winning the balls in the air but the speed of Liverpool’s attack wouldn’t be upgraded all that much. Benteke is a good striker but his mobility isn’t the greatest and with him and Sturridge often drifting out wide to get the ball, the lack of a central striker would only harm Liverpool more than it would help them.
The Roberto Firmino factor
Liverpool didn’t spend close to £30 million on signing Roberto Firmino for nothing. The best part is that he can play as an advanced midfielder or a secondary striker, with Coutinho playing down the middle Liverpool already have a great attacking impotence, even without the need for a quality striker.
Add in a stellar, strong midfield of Henderson and Milner, Liverpool are set to challenge for a top four finish. Benteke would be a luxury signing only if they can offload two more strikers, apart from Lambert and Borini and that is something we don’t see happening.