Axe man: Benteke has paid the price for some static showings up front

Liverpool attacker key to Everton making club-record signing - report

Founder & Managing Director AUTHORITY Former chief correspondent at Evening Standard, Goal and Press Association with nearly three decades in national, regional and digital news and sports journalism. Wayne directs the network’s news strategy and high-level operations. FOCUS Editorial direction for the 11-site network and newsroom management. THE BRIEF Wayne oversees the network’s editorial standards across the network. He provides the final sign-off on all headline scoops, ensuring content across all platforms meets the standards required for a high-velocity newsroom.

Published on:

10 Aug 2016, 8:16 am

By Tom Blackburn

Alan Pardew has sacrificed Yannick Bolasie in order to push through the signing of Christian Benteke, according to a report.

The Mirror claims that funds from the £30million sale of Bolasie to Everton will directly be used by Crystal Palace manager Pardew to prise Benteke for a broadly similar fee from Liverpool.

It is said that Everton will pay £25million plus £5million of add-ons for Bolasie after striking a deal with Palace that will break their transfer record.

According to The Telegraph, the London club are hoping to agree a deal to sign Benteke this week after reopening negotiations with Liverpool over the Belgium international.

The Eagles had a £25million bid for Benteke rejected at the start of July by the Merseyside club, but Palace are back in talks and the player is on stand-by to move to Selhurst Park.

The report says Palace are willing to match the £125,000-a-week Benteke currently earns at Liverpool.

Benteke is now surplus to requirements at Anfield and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has made it clear that his club will sell the striker if their valuation is met.

Despite being written off as a flop in many quarters, Benteke scored nine Premier League goals in 14 starts for Liverpool, having netted 42 times in 82 starts for Villa in three seasons in the top division.

Pardew has been searching for a new striker all summer, with Michy Batshuayi being stolen from under his nose by Chelsea.

The need for a striker is ever more pressing since the release of former Arsenal strikers Marouane Chamakh and Emmanuel Adebayor earlier this summer.

In other Liverpool transfer news, they are on the verge of agreeing attacker deal as talks advance.

Liverpool FC

Crystal Palace

Christian Benteke