Crystal Palace striker Christian Benteke is linked with Everton, and it is a move he should avoid.
Christian Benteke has emerged as a potential target for Everton, with SkySports reporting the club are considering a move for the Crystal Palace striker.
A move back to Merseyside could motivate the former Liverpool forward, who could prove a point to his old club who discarded him after just one season at Anfield.
Everton are seeking a replacement for Romelu Lukaku, and in theory Benteke is a solid fit. He is strong, good in the air, and can operate as a lone striker; all traits their top scorer from last season had.
Crystal Palace’s Christian Benteke
Yet Benteke should look to avoid stepping into Lukaku’s boots, as the move could define his career for all the wrong reasons.
The two players are close pals and international teammates, and while they share similarities, there is no getting away from the fact Lukaku is a better player with a brighter future.
Benteke would find his every step at Everton compared to Lukaku, his every mistake highlighted, with only the best Lukaku moments remembered.
With the man he would be replacing likely to hit new heights at Manchester United, an Everton move is one Benteke should avoid.
Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku
He is already viewed as a ‘slightly less good Lukaku’ – evident by the back-up role he plays for the Belgian national team.
At Everton he would be casting himself into this role on a weekly stage, chasing Lukaku’s goalscoring feats which he may not be able to match.
At Liverpool he struggled with the pressure, and it would be just as big at Everton if tasked to replace Lukaku.
Crystal Palace may not be the club with the ceiling he hopes for, but if Benteke leaves he needs to forge his own path, not step into somebody else’s, and hope he can simply ‘do a job’.
Does he want to be remembered as a striker who wasn’t quite as good as Lukaku or spent the best part of his career trying to live up to his feats, or one who for better or worse attempted to be his own man?
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