Liverpool Transfer News: Latest on Christian Benteke and Joe Allen Rumours

Liverpool striker Christian Benteke is ready to stay and fight for his place at Anfield should the Reds’ asking price for the player not be met.

That’s according to Jamie Jackson of the Guardian, who said that while Crystal Palace and West Ham United are keen on landing the much-maligned forward, Liverpool want to recoup the £32.5 million they parted with to sign him from Aston Villa 12 months ago.

Jackson noted a deal with Palace, said to be worth around £27 million, had fallen through because of the Reds’ steep valuation and that “it is understood other potential moves for Benteke have also faltered for the same reason.”

Benteke failed to live up to expectations in his first season with Liverpool, especially following the departure of Brendan Rodgers and appointment of manager Jurgen Klopp in October.

While a peripheral figure on Merseyside, Ed Malyon of the Daily Mirror noted Palace view the striker as the ideal man to spearhead their attack:

Should the club’s asking price not be met, it will be fascinating to see just how Benteke is used at Anfield in 2016-17. After all, Klopp showed a willingness to start Divock Origi, Daniel Sturridge and even attacking midfielder Roberto Firmino at the point of his team ahead of the Belgian last year.

PAUL ELLIS/Getty Images

The German’s teams are renowned for their intensity off the ball, sharp transitions and unbending fitness. They were qualities that were evident in Liverpool’s play last term, and as Klopp started to shape his side, Benteke’s contrasting style became increasingly obvious. The former Villa man isn’t the right fit for the setup.

Still, Tony Barrett of the Times feels that with the right kind of supply, Benteke could be effective:

That’s probably why Liverpool are holding out for the aforementioned sum. Benteke is a proven goalscorer in the Premier League, has shown he can be a major force in the right setup and players like that are difficult to find.

Expect the Reds to eventually have their valuation met and for the 25-year-old to blossom elsewhere.

Joe Allen Decision Imminent

According to Klopp, Liverpool will find a "solution" to the future of Joe Allen soon, with the midfielder linked with a summer exit.

Klopp told BBC Radio 5 live (h/t BBC Sport):

"

We will find a solution but it's not done.

Obviously [Allen] is a good player. We never doubted this. He played a good European Championship, like the whole Welsh team.

We have to make decisions, we have to find solutions. We have to talk to the player, ask the player and think about our situation. That's how it works.

"

Rui Vieira/Associated Press

Allen has one year remaining on his contract at Anfield, having joined from Swansea City in August 2012. As noted in the aforementioned piece, Liverpool rejected a loan offer from his former club in January, although the Welsh outfit are said to still be keen on bringing him back.

The 26-year-old had a wonderful UEFA European Championship, excelling at the hub of a Wales team that made a brilliant run to the semi-finals.

As we can see, courtesy of the competition’s official Twitter feed, he made it into the Team of the Tournament:

Getting game time at Anfield could prove to be testing, though. Klopp has a lot of options in the middle of the park, with January signing Marko Grujic finally having joined the likes of James Milner, Jordan Henderson, Emre Can and Lucas Leiva this summer. It means the Welshman faces a battle to make it into the squad, never mind the starting XI.

Allen is a popular player with the Liverpool fans and showed exactly what he’s capable of in the summer when given regular minutes. Still, with the Reds’ midfield options in mind, it seems as though he’ll have to move elsewhere if he’s to be afforded the playing time he surely craves.