Our former boss Brendan Rodgers has spoken out in defence of Christian Benteke, saying the big Belgian can be just as good as Robert Lewandowski if he is given the time and space to develop.
Rodgers was in charge when we signed Benteke for £32.5 million last summer. The 25-year-old has since gone on score just seven goals in all competitions this term, and only two since late-November.
“We felt at that time that Christian was up there in terms of goals to games,” said the Northern Irishman (via Echo).
“We felt that he was someone that we didn’t have in the squad. The problem now is the patience element. There doesn’t seem to be time.”
“An example is Robert Lewandowski at Bayern Munich and he wouldn’t have got the patience in the Premier League that he did in the Bundesliga and now look at him.”
“Christian over time will show he’s top class.”
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Lewandowski, of course, is one of the greatest success stories in recent years. He was hours away from signing for Blackburn Rovers in 2010, only to be thwarted by ash from an Icelandic volcano (via ESPN).
Dortmund and Klopp swooped the following summer, and he went on to score 74 times in 131 league games for the club.
Eventually he joined Bayern Munich in 2014, and he has already bagged 36 times in 49 games for the club.
Whether Benteke has the ability to reach those heights is debatable, but Rodgers probably has a point when he says he needs more time.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments.