Liverpool are set to trigger Christian Benteke’s £32.5 million (Dh186m) release clause after changing their valuation of the Aston Villa striker.
Manager Brendan Rodgers made the Belgium international his primary target to strengthen his forward line but for a long time the club were reluctant to meet the figure needed to open transfer negotiations.
Villa were adamant they would not budge on the clause and, after selling Raheem Sterling to Manchester City in a £49 million deal this week, it was being reported yesterday that Liverpool have relented and will make their approach to the Birmingham club.
The club’s chief executive, Ian Ayre, is in Brisbane with Rodgers and his squad for the second leg of their pre-season tour but will still handle negotiations with Villa for the purchase of the 24-year-old striker.
Rodgers has been keen to add strength to his attacking options but also wants a front-line striker who can withstand the rigours of the Premier League.
England international Daniel Sturridge made just 18 appearances last season after missing virtually the first five months of the season with injury. He is likely to be sidelined until at least September after having surgery on a hip problem, which prematurely ended his campaign in April.
That would have left Rodgers with youngster Divock Origi, playing his first season in English football after spending last season on loan at Lille, and summer signing from Burnley Danny Ings as his frontline choices. Mario Balotelli, Rickie Lambert and Fabio Borini – who scored four league goals between them last season – are all deemed surplus at Anfield.
The club have invested heavily this summer, most notably in Hoffenheim’s Brazil international Roberto Firmino, who could cost them up to £29m, but he is not an out-and-out forward and so Rodgers needed to recruit someone else to play as his spearhead.
Following the sale of Luis Suarez to Barcelona for £77m last year, coupled with Sturridge’s injury problems, Liverpool scored 49 fewer league goals than they did in the 2013/14 season.
Liverpool have bought six players, including England right-back Nathaniel Clyne at a cost of £12.5m.
Benteke’s arrival would push their summer spending to about £80m despite Rodgers saying 12 months ago, after an outlay of £110m, that there would not be a huge amount of recruitment to follow.
The loss of Uefa Champions League football and the failure of several of last year’s signings – plus the sale of Sterling – has forced a rethink.
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