5 Feasible Summer Destinations for Liverpool Forward Christian Benteke
Whichever way you look at it, Christian Benteke looks increasingly likely to leave Liverpool this summer—just one season after making the £32.5 million move from Aston Villa to become the Reds' latest No. 9.
Deemed a mistake signing by many before setting foot on Merseyside, Benteke's struggle to adapt to life in a Liverpool shirt—scoring eight goals in 35 appearances so far—and more sections of Anfield continue to turn on a striker Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe described as a "cross hoover" in interview with This is Anfield.
Benteke's principal strengths come as an archetypal target man, utilising his power to great effect over three seasons with Villa, but the same qualities have seen him jar with manager Jurgen Klopp's tactical outlook; the 25-year-old's last Premier League start came in Liverpool's 2-0 loss away to West Ham United at the start of 2016.
Publicly, Benteke's standing under Klopp grows more precarious by the day, with the striker claiming he "never would have signed if I had not been the priority of the coach," in conversation with Belgium publication Sport/Voetbalmagazine (h/t the Guardian) during the international break.
"When your coach says he wanted to take you to [Borussia] Dortmund and a little later you sit at the same club and he ignores you it is hard to understand," he continued, though why he is low in Klopp's attacking pecking order is clear to all but the striker, as Daniel Sturridge and Divock Origi offer a better fit.
Destined to leave Liverpool this summer, Benteke could still command a considerable fee—but who could he feasibly join? Here are five options, including a move to join Slaven Bilic's Hammers.
Atletico Madrid
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According to the Mirror's Darren Lewis, Atletico Madrid have highlighted Benteke as a primary target as Diego Simeone looks to overhaul his attacking ranks ahead of the 2016/17 campaign.
Atleti will reportedly move for Benteke and Chelsea's Spanish striker Diego Costa, as with Jackson Martinez sold to Guangzhou Evergrande in the winter, and both Luciano Vietto and Fernando Torres struggling to hit the back of the net, Antoine Griezmann stands as Simeone's only reliable No. 9.
Griezmann has scored 24 goals in 41 games in all competitions this season, but the France international is in need of back-up, and Benteke's 49 goals in 101 games for Villa may make him an attractive prospect to Simeone.
Whether Benteke would suit Simeone's high-intensity attacking style, however, is another matter entirely; with the Belgian having showcased a lethargy and poor tactical intelligence during his time at Anfield.
But as Atletico's move for Martinez proved, Simeone is not averse to a bullish, physical centre-forward, and the Liga challengers would certainly have the funds to secure Benteke's signing this summer.
Juventus
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Lewis also claims that high-flying Juventus are in the race to sign Benteke this summer, as—like Simeone—Massimiliano Allegri is facing something of a crisis of options when it comes to selecting his attacking line in Turin.
Paulo Dybala (18) is the only centre-forward likely to score 20 goals this season, with Alvaro Morata (10), Mario Mandzukic (nine) and Simone Zaza (seven) offering meagre back-up to the Argentinian in 2015/16.
Furthermore, with Morata telling Spanish publication Marca (h/t Pete Jenson of the MailOnline) in March, "I am happy in Italy but Germany and England are both countries where my style of football could be better suited," and with Mandzukic turning 30 in May, a changing of the guard may be required at the Juventus Stadium.
Of a similar height and build to Mandzukic, Benteke would likely be primed as the Croatian's long-term replacement if he were to join Juventus, with Serie A better suiting his skill set.
Allegri may be shocked at the gulf between the respective strikers' work rates, however, with Mandzukic renowned for his tireless work off the ball and Benteke more inclined to occupy the space between the centre-backs, waiting to receive possession from a team-mate.
Nevertheless, Benteke's goal record could persuade Allegri of his talents, as he would no doubt prove a hit at Juventus.
West Ham United
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Another possible destination Lewis lists for Benteke is Bilic's West Ham, and with Hammers co-owner David Sullivan confirming the club's interest in signing the Liverpool No. 9 this summer, a move could be on the cards at the end of the season.
"He’s a player we admire but the problem is that he is on huge wages that no club can afford," Sullivan explained, per Bruce Archer of the Daily Express, with the 67-year-old later admitting West Ham's need for a "consistent goalscorer."
"What we don’t have is 20- to 25-goal-a-season striker. If we did we’d be even higher up the table...Our team doesn’t need major surgery but maybe a real top, top consistent goalscorer."
While his season on Merseyside has seen Benteke struggle to reach the 20-goal mark, in his three seasons with Villa he scored 19, 10 and 13 respectively, with only injury keeping him from a more consistent tally.
Benteke would suit Bilic's Hammers side perfectly, with the Croatian showing willingness to adopt a direct style of attacking play throughout his first season as a manager in the Premier League.
If Sullivan can be convinced to offer Benteke an acceptable wage, West Ham may have found the ideal striker to suit Bilic's system.
Roma
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Lewis rounds off his overview of Benteke's summer options with perhaps the most intriguing prospect for Klopp, involving a move to Luciano Spalletti's AS Roma for the 24-cap Belgium man.
"The Reds, meanwhile, are interested in Roma midfielder Leandro Paredes—now on loan at Empoli—and could offer Benteke as part of a deal," Lewis wrote.
"Roma looked at signing the Belgium international last summer before choosing Manchester City's Edin Dzeko."
Roma signed Dzeko on a season-long loan last summer, which was then made permanent in a deal worth £8 million in October, but the Bosnian has scored just nine goals in 33 appearances so far in 2015/16, including a 710-minute barren spell in Serie A between November and February.
With few other recognised centre-forward options moving forward, Roma may be tempted to swap Benteke for Paredes, with the latter representing the perfect addition to Klopp's midfield in the long term.
Benteke could provide an upgrade on Dzeko this summer, while adding competition to Spalletti's attacking ranks.
Chelsea
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Guus Hiddink is unlikely to be Chelsea manager next season, with widespread reports—including from the Guardian's James Riach—claiming that the Blues are set to appoint Italy manager Antonio Conte on a three-year deal after the summer's UEFA European Championship in France.
Conte has since been linked with myriad transfer targets, with B/R's Dean Jones listing four key options in Miralem Pjanic, Paul Pogba, Mauro Icardi and Radja Nainggolan, but if Chelsea miss out on qualification for European football this season, the 46-year-old may need to lower his sights.
If Costa does join Atletico this summer, Chelsea's need for another star centre-forward would be magnified, as Radamel Falcao, Loic Remy and Alexandre Pato have struggled to impose themselves at Stamford Bridge.
Benteke would provide Conte with a middle ground in his search for quality this summer, with the Belgian unlikely to place too much emphasis on European football given his position at Liverpool—and he would suit Chelsea's attack perfectly.
As Costa's time in west London has proved, Chelsea's attack thrives on grit and power, and these are qualities that Benteke has in abundance; with the likes of Oscar and Willian swarming around him, he could be a great fit for Conte's Blues.
Last summer, Benteke was ready to make the step up to a big-name club, but the 25-year-old chose the wrong destination. If he leaves Liverpool, he can still prove to be a success at the top level—and he should have plenty of options if he chooses to do so.
Statistics via Transfermarkt.co.uk.
