ASTON VILLA BOSS Tim Sherwood has admitted the club may have no choice but to let Christian Benteke leave this summer after revealing the Belgium striker has a buy-out clause in his contract.
The clause was inserted when Benteke signed his new £50,000-a-week contract two years ago and the figure is rumoured to be £32.5m.
“There’s a buy-out clause in his contract so it would be impossible for us to stop him if he wanted to go but someone has got to meet that buy-out clause and if they don’t, then it’s not even going to be considered because we don’t want to lose him.”
Villa will be forced to sell Benteke to any club that triggers this clause and Sherwood has acknowledged that there is a real possibility that Saturday’s FA Cup final with Arsenal could be their star-striker’s last appearance for the club. But the former-Tottenham boss believe Benteke could benefit from spending another year at Villa ahead of the European Championships in 2006.
I don’t think he should be moving clubs the year before a European Championship. The European Championship is a huge stage and a tournament, where you feel Belgium will be one of the favourites to win it – and playing for Aston Villa hasn’t hindered him being first choice for Belgium. So to stay here and score at the ratio he’s been scoring at since I took over, if he ends up with 25 or 30 goals, then goes to the Euros and has a great championship, then he is probably going to be playing for Real Madrid. If he scores 30 goals here next season, he can go the biggest club in the world – and the kid is that good.”
Liverpool are in desperate need for a proven goalscorer and are said to be readying a bid for the 24-year-old after identifying him as a realistic target for the summer transfer window. But Sherwood believes Benteke should aim higher than Liverpool and isn’t sure he would even suit the Merseyside club’s style of play.
“I think we cross more balls into the box than any club in the league and I think Christian will tell you he feeds off crosses. There’s no point going to a club where they don’t cross the ball. All he’s got to do is look at history and see what has happened to players who have left other clubs. They’re going to pastures new, bigger and better clubs, and they don’t actually play, so then they end up looking for a new home again.”
Sherwood may have a point but Aston Villa finished fourth from bottom of the Premier League this season and the opportunity to test himself at a club of Liverpool’s size, despite their difficulties, may be too much to resist. Either way, the fact that Sherwood decided to volunteer this information seems to suggest he is resigned to losing the Belgian hit-man.
Do you think Benteke will leave Aston Villa this summer?
Originally published at 11.15
A 6”5 hooker and a 5”8 centre? I blame 5G.
@Hirrison Mirk: Bill Gates about to revolutionise rugby. Dont try to stop him gemma
Again it’s great to see the younger guys get a run to give us a vision of Leinsters future. A 10,12,13 combo of 21/22 year olds is exciting.
Overall this is a very good team considering. Great to see two OBriens in the back three again along with DK. Love the look of the back row. Looking forward to this game now.
@Ro Molloy: it’s fantastic to see these lads get a run.
What Leo says about the pecking order is so true. 18 months ago will Connors was not even on thr radar and now he’s starting a 6 nations game on merit.
All this clammer to get young leinster players to move to get game time is bull.
Leo gives those good enough plenty of chances and if they step up he keeps them there.
@Chris Mc:
It’s not bull, at all and it will continue to happen as no province can keep players warming benches or not even getting into the squad.
Some will be happy, I know, to play second or third fiddle but the ones with real desire to start every week, will move on, so they can show just how good they are.
Back row in Leinster case and centre and wing for Ulster is where the depth is.
The time will come when injury and international weeks is not enough to satisfy some
@Mark Smith: what like Jordi Murphy, nick mccarthy, Jack mcgrath, wheres the example of a player moving province and bettering himself especially in terms of the irish squad.
@Chris Mc: Andrew Conway
@Stephen Duffy: Conway would have been first choice at leinster and would now have 4 HC winner medals and well as an extra 40 caps at this stage. His undoubted talent was reduced to chasing box kicks and creating his own magic for the past 9 years. If Conway had stayed at leinster he would have been a superstar.
Zebre 2nd row – Nagle and Kearney!
This guy Dan Sheehan is not only a future irish captain, but a future Lions captain! Dont tell anyone but you heard it first from me!
@Kevin O’brien: calm down a little there kevin.
Christ Jesus an Irish #2 with a decent throw, he sounds like the full package, physicality & accuracy. Genuinely excited, but let’s not pressure him to death with expectation.
Agree with Mark about interpro player movement, win win for player, country & province – that’s providing players get adequate gametime at their new province & they want to move.
@Daithí O’ Donnabhain: a leinster hooker who can throw a lineout ball is area 51 stuff.
He must have learned to throw off YouTube, he didn’t learn at leinster. If I was drowning and a leinster hooker came along with a life bhoy, I wouldn’t get my hopes up, chances are he’d miss the water.