Christian Benteke has admitted that he turned down a January move to West Bromwich Albion after being convinced to stay put at Crystal Palace, while speaking to Het Nieuwsblad.
It says a lot about the Belgian’s dramatic fall from grace that we are talking about a tally of five goals in 22 Premier League games as a respectable return from a £27 million centre-forward.
But, when you consider just how much Benteke has struggled in recent seasons, the 2020/21 campaign has been something of a success by comparison.
The former Liverpool and Aston Villa ace scored a stunning winner away at bitter rivals Brighton in February and has managed to keep winter recruit Jean-Philippe Mateta out of Crystal Palace’s starting XI.
And with West Brom all-but certain to be playing Championship football next season, Benteke’s decision to shun a January switch to The Hawthorns appears to have been justified.
“In December I read in the press that I could leave. I immediately went to the coach (Roy Hodgson) and asked him: Do I still fit into your plans?’. He replied: ‘Yes, but there will be competition. It will be difficult to guarantee you game time, but you are in my plans’,” Benteke explained.
“When he said that, it was clear to me that I wanted to stay. Because I trust myself. I know that I have the ability to play at Palace.”
When pressed about his decision to reject the Baggies, Benteke added that a mid-season switch was never in his plans.
“That’s why (I turned down West Brom), and also because I didn’t want to leave in January.”
Sam Allardyce’s side brought in another experienced targetman before the January deadline but, while Mbaye Diagne has been a handful to say the least, his finishing ability has left a lot to be desired, scoring just once so far.
Benteke, meanwhile, is facing an uncertain future with his contract expiring in the summer. But, with relegation looming, it seems the West Brom ship has sailed.
“In the summer, you have more time to weigh up the pros and cons and make a well-considered choice. Maybe I want to take on a challenge in another country,” he said.
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