Christian Benteke could leave Crystal Palace in the summer transfer window with the Premier League outfit keen to move on from a player who was offered to Burnley, as reported by The Sun.
The towering Belgian international started 2021/22 as Patrick Vieira’s first-choice centre-forward but looks set to end it third in the Palace pecking order.
The resurgent Jean-Philippe Mateta is one of the first names on the Eagles team sheet these days while Odsonne Edouard, last summer’s £15 million marquee signing, has had his moments, even if the former Celtic poacher has found consistency hard to come by south of the border.
Benteke, in contrast, has played fewer than 30 minutes of Premier League football since January’s valiant 3-1 defeat to Liverpool. He’s been left on the bench for 10 of Crystal Palace’s last 12 matches too.
And, with Benteke’s contract expiring on July 1, an extension looks increasingly unlikely for a man who, taking home £120,000-a-week, remains the club’s second-highest earner behind talismanic winger Wilfried Zaha (Spotrac).
Christian Benteke leaving Crystal Palace
Benteke snubbed a January move to Burnley, after Palace offered their seldom-seen record signing to the Clarets.
It remains to be seen whether Burnley will be tempted to make an approach for the former Aston Villa star when he takes a dip in the free-agent pool.
Much will depend on whether they can retain their place in the Promised Land. Burnley are enjoying their best run in five years.
Eddie Nketiah in at Crystal Palace?
Crystal Palace, meanwhile, are reportedly watching a number of centre-forwards. Including Rayo Vallecano’s Randy Nteka and Flamengo’s Brazil international Pedro.
According to The Sun, however, Eddie Ntekiah of Arsenal remains their number one target heading into the summer window.
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Ntekiah, like Benteke, will be a free agent in a matter of weeks. And he’s picking the ideal time to start playing some of the best football of his Gunners career.
The England U21s all-time record goalscorer found the net twice in a Man of the Match performance against Chelsea last month.
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