If Andy Carroll and Mario Balotelli prove one thing, it is that a knee-jerk reaction very rarely pays off. But in the face of Saturday’s draw with West Brom, it appears that Brendan Rodgers has decided – or has felt forced – to act fast before the rest of the Premier League goes window shopping in the summer.
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According to the Metro, Aston Villa Christian Benteke could be on his way to Anfield, with Rickie Lambert heading the other way. However, it would still cost £30m to get the Belgian on board.
After a quiet start earlier in the season, the 24-year-old has become the ruthless forward he always threatened to be. Since Villa’s new boss Tim Sherwood came in, he has found the back of the net on ten occasions in all competitions, including the FA Cup semi-final.
Signing Benteke will also benefit another of our strikers, Divock Origi. The youngster has looked out of form at times during his loan spell at Lille, so having a familiar face around the club may allow him to settle in quicker on Merseyside, and rediscover the magic with which he graced last year’s World Cup.
Whilst £30m may appear to slightly excessive for a player that spent much of the season struggling to find form, it is surely a risk worth taking. Unfortunately, Lambert does not appear to have a future with us, and so if he can lower the fee, we should be willing to let him go. We need to ask ourselves, who is going to worry defences more: Benteke or Lambert? Surely, there is only one answer.