Christian Benteke is a man that divides opinion. His rather forgetful first season at Liverpool has been unfortunate as the Belgian forward has failed to establish himself at Anfield despite moving for a fee of £32.5m.
There has been a bit of a negative reaction from fans when the club have been linked to the striker but would it really be that bad a move for the Hammers? He may not be the top target but if West Ham do sign the Belgian forward, they would still be getting a quality Premier League striker that is capable of finding the back of the net on a regular basis.
West Ham have struggled to keep hold of regular goalscorers in the past. Dean Ashton’s West Ham career was hampered with injury issues, Carlos Tevez was always destined for bigger things and Demba Ba departed the club due to relegation under Avram Grant. In fact, the player to score the most goals for the Hammers in a Premier League season is Paulo Di Canio with 16 goals in 1999-00. Therefore, looking for a 20-goal striker will mean that the Hammers will have to find someone that is going to make West Ham history.
Benteke is a man that has consistently shown that he is capable of scoring in the Premier League. It’s no coincidence that Aston Villa’s capitulation has coincided with the forward leaving the club, he was one of the most sought after players in the Premier League when he was playing his football at Villa Park. In 2012-13 Benteke scored 19 league goals and in 2014-15 he finished amongst the Premier League top scorers again by netting 13 times.
During his time at Aston Villa, Benteke scored 49 goals and provided 12 assists, averaging around a goal every two games. Whatever way you look at it, he is a natural goalscorer who will find the back of the net if he is given regular football.
Benteke was one of the Premier League’s best strikers during his time at Aston Villa
Moving to Liverpool seemed like a logical step to further his career but it simply hasn’t worked out for him and this is something a number of Hammers fans can’t shake off. Unfortunately for Benteke, the big striker does not seem to fit with Jurgen Klopp’s style of play but that doesn’t make him a bad striker. Like a lot of forwards, the Belgian is a player that has to play regularly and it is difficult for any striker to make an impact in a limited amount of appearances. Having said that, the striker still scored nine league goals despite his lack of game time, including a world-class bicycle kick against Manchester United.
The 25-year-old is definitely no stranger to the spectacular, just look at some of the goals he has scored for Villa in the video below. He has everything you’d expect from a big forward and more. He has good feet and is a reliable finisher, you don’t score 49 goals for a team like Villa just by being good in the air and this is something some fans need to realise as he has a lot more in his locker than people are giving him credit for.
Yes, he has had a frustrating season at Liverpool and he is on high wages but he is exactly what the club are looking for. A reliable goalscorer who is proven in the Premier League is often very hard to come by but Benteke fits the bill. With service from the likes of Payet, Lanzini and Antonio next season, he is the sort of striker who would absolutely thrive as the club’s main forward. The Hammers were so dangerous from set-pieces throughout the most recent campaign and adding someone like Benteke into the mix would be a brilliant addition. He can also make those attacking runs to get on the end of through balls and he would relish being the main striker at a Premier League club once again.
If the likes of Michy Batshuayi and Alexandre Lacazette do not work out, the club could do a lot worse than Christian Benteke. The player needs a lucky break and West Ham could be the beneficiaries of a rejuvenated and talented striker next season. He may be on high wages but the Hammers must be looking to pay around 100 grand a week for a star striker this summer so Benteke may not be completely out of reach.
If he is available the Hammers should move for him as one average season with a lack of opportunities does not make you a bad striker.
For the non-believers, here’s a reminder of what Benteke can do:
