Darren Bent claims some Villa fans want Christian Benteke re-signed

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Former Aston Villa striker Darren Bent has discussed the possibility of the club bringing back Christian Benteke after a conversation with some fans.

Dean Smith’s team appear set for a relegation battle this season and currently sit one place outside the drop zone on goal difference.

Summer signing Wesley has struggled following his big-money move from Club Brugge, and fans are beginning to wonder if the Brazilian is the answer.

He has just four goals in 17 appearances for the Midlands club, suggesting that he will need more time to adapt to the English top-flight.

At the moment it looks like Villa need reinforcements up top, and Bent has shared the thoughts of some fans he was chatting with.

He said on talkSPORT: “I was speaking to a couple of Aston Villa fans this morning at my academy game and they were saying about bringing Benteke back – just because of how much they loved him.

“If you can go somewhere and you’ve really got the fans onside, which they really will be because they idolised him, then maybe they can get that form back out of him, because he did do really well.”

Bent then suggested a loan move would be less of a risk.

TBR’s view – A massive gamble

Villa bringing Benteke back would be a huge risk, even on loan.

Unfortunately over the past couple of years, the Belgian striker has been woeful in front of goal.

Since leaving Villa in the summer of 2015, he’s managed to score just 28 Premier League goals and he’s managed just four since the start of the 2017/18 season.

But as Bent rightly points out, Benteke – who signed for Crystal Palace for £27 million (BBC Sport) – was adored by the Villa faithful during his three seasons at the club.

The fact Villa are fighting relegation would make this a massive risk, but it might just be something that somehow works for both parties.