Big-spending Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has finally captured his number one summer transfer target after striker Christian Benteke completed his £32.5million transfer from Aston Villa.
The Belgium international becomes the seventh new arrival at Anfield since the end of last season but he was always the priority for the Reds boss.
Benteke, who was born in Kinshasa, capital of Zaire (now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo), is understood to have signed a five-year contract after undergoing a two-part medical in London earlier this week before travelling to Merseyside on Wednesday to complete the paperwork on the deal, which will see Liverpool pay £16million up front with the remainder of the fee payable over the course of his contract.
“I’m very happy to be here and I would like to thank the owners, Ian (Ayre, chief executive who pushed the deal through) and of course the manager for their massive effort to bring me here,” the striker said.
“I think it was the right club for me because I had a good chat with the manager and I wanted to be part of his project.
“I know Liverpool is a big story. They’ve won league titles and the Champions League five times and of course the UEFA Cup and a lot of trophies. I know it’s a big club.”
Brendan Rogers’ latest acquisition puts Liverpool’s summer spending up to around £80m, so the coming season could be make or break for the Irishman.
Benteke joins Adam Bogdan from Bolton, Nathaniel Clyne from Southampton, Roberto Firmino from Hoffenheim, Joe Gomez from Charlton Athletic, Danny Ings from Burnley and James Milner from Manchester City as Anfield new boys. The offloading of the unsettled Raheem Sterling to Manchester City for £49m has gone some way towards funding Brendan Rogers’ spending.
