Crystal Palace striker Christian Benteke believes his bother Jonathan is at the club due to his ability, not just his surname.
Christian Benteke believes that younger brother Jonathan is at Crystal Palace due to his ability as a footballer, not due to the fact the two are siblings.
Both Christian and Jonathan Benteke joined Crystal Palace over the summer, with 25-year-old Christian joining in a £32 million move from fellow Premier League club Liverpool, whilst 21-year-old Jonathan joined from Belgian Pro League side Zulte-Waregem for an undisclosed fee.
The younger of the two Benteke’s made his debut for the Eagles on Saturday, coming on as a late substitute for older brother Christian – after the powerful Belgian international had scored his first goal for his new club.
Speaking after the game, both Christian and current Palace manager Alan Pardew were quick to dismiss the idea that Jonathan had been brought to the club due to his name alone.
“He has been training really well,” Christian Benteke told the Evening Standard. “It is not because he is my brother. He had a few minutes on the pitch and I am sure he enjoyed it.”
Manager Pardew also reaffirmed this point when speaking to the media, confirming that the young player had been brought to the club as a result of his ability and potential.
“He is a young striker with natural talent and they are not easy to find. We checked him out and liked the look of him.
“It was an opportunity for us that he is so young and relatively cheap to take a chance on.
“And that is what he is really – a chance for us – and it just happens to be his [Christian’s] brother.”
Crystal Palace next face Stoke at home on Sunday afternoon, with both Christian and Jonathan Benteke expected to make the squad – and potentially starting line-up for young Jonathan – once again.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
