Despite leading the line for an Aston Villa side that have categorically failed to score a great amount of goals this season, Christian Benteke has nonetheless had a campaign to be proud of throughout the course of 2014/15.
The big Belgian may have struggled somewhat under the ill-fated management of Paul Lambert earlier on in the year – but since Tim Sherwood has taken over and instilled his own mini revolution down at Villa Park towards the tail end of the season – the 24-year-old front-man has been in fine form to say the very least.
As the former KRC Genk and Standard Liege man has successfully topped the goal scoring charts for his side this term, with a cool 14 finishes in all competitions, it comes as no surprise that the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United have subsequently been linked with signing the in-form striker in the not too distant future.
Even in light of such likely competition for the no. 20’s services next season though, would it be fair to suggest that Arsenal are in greater need of someone like Christian Benteke going in to the new campaign, and could his potential signing at the Emirates finally turn the Gunners back into serious title contenders?
The answer might well be yes.
Since first breaking onto the scene in England back in 2012, the Zaire-born forward has certainly caught the attention of the wider footballing community in this country. Benteke quickly emerged as a serious goal threat in the final third, as well as a player most Premier League defences would need to take careful consideration of when coming up against.
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He can simply have a match winning impact on his day – and in similar fashion to his compatriot Romelu Lukaku – and the main man down at Villa Park is just as comfortable on the deck as he is in the air. The striker can not only link up effectively with his teammates across the pitch, but he has also been known to surprise many with his quick turn of pace, dominate physically with his core strength and burly stature – and also finish off one-on-one chances up there with the best of them.
Admittedly Christian Benteke isn’t the complete centre-forward by any means, though. We have seen the Belgium international let his form drop on occasion throughout the past few seasons. Yet as injuries have nonetheless had an unavoidable impact on his consistency in the Premier League in the past, perhaps the Aston Villa front-man deserves the benefit of the doubt to some degree in this situation.
His performances in the English top flight have reportedly caught the attention of some of the league’s biggest clubs in the past after all. Many high profile teams across Europe have supposedly been casting their eye over the Belgian this season in particular, if reports are to be believed – and Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal are no exception.
The Emirates faithful have been crying out for a recognised striker at the club for a good few years now. Olivier Giroud may have improved a great deal since he first turned out in an Arsenal shirt back in 2012, but as he simply lacks the certain something that all top strikers need if they are to reach world class status – the unlucky Frenchman will seemingly never win over the entire Gunners contingency on his own.
Benteke, however, could be the perfect option for Wenger. At 24-years-old he’s still young enough to improve at the top level, his goal record in the Premier League is certainly something not to be scoffed at, and Arsenal ultimately need another confident character in the final third who isn’t scared to take on even the best defenses out there.
The physical striker plays with his front to goal on most given occasions – and even though many Gunners fans would rather sign someone of Karim Benzema’s ilk throughout the coming summer – the Belgian centre-forward would arguably offer a better deal all round. Benteke would likely prove a more viable financial asset, and unlike Real Madrid’s main man in the striking department, the Villa Park favourite still has something to prove at this stage in his career.
Arsene Wenger would therefore be mad to turn down such an opportunity outright – yet because many other top clubs will undoubtedly be in for the Belgian should the chance present itself this summer – maybe signing a player such as Christian Benteke will prove a task much easier said, than done.
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