Christian Benteke to Liverpool: £32.5m deal for striker to be concluded swiftly - Brendan Rodgers to be held accountable

Reds prepared to meet release clause of Aston Villa striker

Christian Benteke (GETTY IMAGES)

Brendan Rodgers has convinced Liverpool’s much-criticised transfer committee that the club should meet the £32.5m release clause on Christian Benteke’s Aston Villa contract.

The 24-year-old Belgium international will become the second most expensive player in Liverpool’s history as soon as he agrees personal terms for the move to Merseyside, which is expected to be concluded swiftly.

Rodgers made it clear in May to the club’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, that he viewed Benteke’s recruitment as the most significant piece of business the club will conduct this summer, following a season where Liverpool’s struggle for goals ultimately cost them a place in the Champions League.

In the last two years of Rodgers’s reign, Liverpool’s transfer activities have been determined by the committee, of which he is a part along with chief executive, Ian Ayre, Dave Fallows, the head of recruitment, Barry Hunter, the chief scout, and Michael Edwards, the head of performance and analysis. Last summer it is believed that other members persuaded Rodgers it would be prudent to sign Mario Balotelli before the Italian’s dreadful campaign where he scored just once in the league. Publicly, Rodgers’s relationship with the committee remains strong.

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This could be viewed as another sign of FSG’S commitment to Rodgers, who nevertheless will be perceived as accountable if Benteke does not prove to be successful.

Liverpool are on the second leg of their pre-season tour and will face Brisbane Roar on Friday morning before flying south for another friendly match with Adelaide United on Monday.

It is possible that Benteke could join the squad in Kuala Lumpur in time to play a Malaysia XI next Friday as Rodgers is determined that all of his new signings will be fully fit and in-tune with his demands before the opening game of the season at Stoke on 9 August.

Liverpool’s move for Benteke grew more urgent after it was claimed that Manchester United wanted to sign the striker. Whether or not the suggestion was genuine, Liverpool realised they could not afford to miss out on their No 1 target following experiences in previous windows where players have moved to other clubs while they refused to meet what they perceived as inflated demands.

Benteke’s impending arrival means that along with Balotelli and Fabio Borini, who are not with the squad on tour, Rickie Lambert is likely to be moved on as soon as a buyer can be found.