Where will Christian Benteke end up this summer?

By grvadmin

Aston Villa were shocked when Christian Benteke handed in a transfer request yesterday evening, alerting a number of Premier League clubs.

The list of interested parties includes Chelsea boss, Jose Mourinho, who is reportedly eager to secure a deal for the 22-year-old.

Despite Benteke’s determination to leave the club, Villa owner Randy Lerner will still be demanding a minimum fee of at least £25 million, due to the three remaining years on the Belgium player’s contract.

Benteke is likely to be of high priority on Chelsea’s wanted list because of Mourinho’s desire to strengthen their forward line, meaning a hefty sum may be paid by the club in order to secure the services of the senior international.

After missing out on a deal for Edinson Cavani, Chelsea will be even more motivated to complete a deal for Benteke, who is said to be Mourinho’s ideal profile of a striker, capable of leading the attack alone. Mourinho is especially attracted to the prospects of the Belgium striker during the current transfer window because of Aston Villa’s fragile financial situation.

Liverpool are also said to be interested in Benteke and the Reds’ boss, Brendan Rodgers, is looking to sign thestriker. The potential departure of Luis Suarez could result in a lack of options upfront for Liverpool, requiring a search for suitable replacements for the Uruguayan international.

Tottenham, however appear to be leading the chase for the Aston Villa striker at this moment in time. Spurs are looking to secure a deal for Benteke, as they continue to build their youthful squad in preparation for the forthcoming season.

With the arrival of Paulinho earlier on in the transfer window, Tottenham are in need of a strong frontman, capable of running in behind the defence and holding the ball up. If they completed a deal for Benteke, they would already have a player capable of playing this role.

Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger is reportedly considering his plans to bring Gonzalo Higuain to North London, and could  instead focus on securing a deal for Benteke , who, in the past, has expressed interest in a move to Arsenal. This would also make money available for further additions to next season’s line up, given the difference in Benteke’s and Higuain’s wage demands.

In my opinion, Benteke looks most likely to be playing for Chelsea next season. The Aston Villa striker is extremely enthusiastic about the idea of being able to play Champions League football and competing for the League title, giving Chelsea the edge over other Premier League clubs.