Liverpool Transfer News: Latest Christian Benteke Rumours and Jon Flanagan Deal

Christian Benteke will be allowed to leave Liverpool but won't be going anywhere on the cheap according to manager Jurgen Klopp, per Liam Corcoran of Sky Sports.

The Belgium international has failed to secure a starting position at the club since his £32.5 million transfer from Aston Villa last summer and is now set to depart Anfield for the right price.

Klopp addressed Benteke's current situation at his press conference on Friday ahead of the Reds' International Champions Cup fixture with La Liga this weekend. Per Corcoran, he was quoted as saying:

"

Everyone knows about it. Christian has already said maybe it makes sense to go to another club. Christian is still a really great striker.

We have a few more strikers and I think it makes more sense to give them match time. But if there are clubs that want a real striker than they have to make real offers otherwise we will find solutions. A few clubs try to gamble but we are not part of this, we are serious.

"

Sky Sports News HQ caught the footage from the pre-match meeting:

Bought by former manager Brendan Rodgers, the 25-year-old centre-forward appeared to be an odd fit for the Northern Irishman's preferred tactics even considering his impressive goalscoring for Villa.

Per WhoScored.com, during his time with the west Midlands club, the former Genk attacker netted 42 goals in 82 Premier League matches.

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Benteke failed to replicate that form on Merseyside in his maiden season at the club and now appears destined to leave. Per Soccerway, he scored nine league goals in 29 games last year—not enough to save his Liverpool career. Klopp then is unlikely to utilise the towering forward ahead of the new campaign.

Per WhoScored, Benteke made an impact off the bench during the 2015-16 campaign:

According to Simon Bird and Darren Lewis of the Daily Mirror, new Sunderland manager David Moyes will go head-to-head with ex-club Everton in a bid to lure Benteke to the north-east. The Black Cats are reportedly willing to offer £30 million, with Liverpool desperate to recoup a majority of the large transfer fee they shelled out just over a year agox

Football writer Kristan Heneage has doubts whether a move to the Stadium of Light will materialise:

However, should Everton receive a significant windfall from the sale of Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea, Ronald Koeman's side will have the financial muscle and need to recruit another attacker. Built in a similar mould, Benteke would seem an obvious replacement for his international counterpart.

Despite being used during pre-season competition, Benteke trails Daniel Sturridge, Divock Origi, Danny Ings and Roberto Firmino in the pecking order for a starting spot, and Klopp has already admitted it will be best for both parties if Benteke found a new club.

Elsewhere, versatile defender Jon Flanagan has officially joined Burnley on a season-long loan, the club confirmed on their website.

After passing the medical at Turf Moor on Friday morning, the 23-year-old full-back joined the newly promoted side in order to secure first-team football.

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Per Rory O'Callaghan and Jack Gaughan of the Daily Mail, a statement on the Lancashire club's website read: "Burnley Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Liverpool defender Jon Flanagan on a season-long loan. The versatile full-back, 23, is one of the most promising talents to emerge from the Reds' Academy in recent years."

After breaking through under Rodgers in 2013, a series of injuries has hampered the youngster's game time. However, the fan favourite reportedly remains a long-term prospect for Klopp, per O'Callaghan and Gaughan. 

The defender, who can play on either side of a back four, turned down the opportunity to link up with Rodgers at Celtic this summer and is eager to play for his future at his local club after recovering from a knee injury that kept him out of action for 18 months.