Crystal Palace striker Christian Benteke has insisted he didn’t think about leaving the club in the summer despite his contract expiring.
The Belgian’s original deal was set to run out in June 2021, and it appeared he could be one of several to leave the club as part of an overhaul.
The departure of Roy Hodgson led to something of a clear-out at Selhurst Park, with several older stars all out of contract and not offered new deals.
Benteke was one of them and was heavily linked with a move away from the club as a result, with clubs in Turkey particularly keen on his signature.
He and Palace surprised everyone, though, when they announced a new deal until 2023 after new manager Patrick Vieira made it clear he wanted to keep him.
Since then, he’s been a regular at Crystal Palace once again and is likely to remain as such for the remainder of his deal.
That is certainly his aim, with the Crystal Palace striker revealing he is aiming to hit the 100 goal mark and join that elite club.
“I had no interest in leaving because there was total trust on both sides. Now I’ve been in England for a long time, but I don’t see my life after football here because I love Belgium,” he told La Meuse.
“It’s clearly one of my goals. To say that I don’t think about it would be a lie. 100 is a beautiful number; it has something symbolic about it.
“When I see my history and where I come from, it would be really incredible. But I don’t put any more pressure on myself than that.
“If I don’t succeed, it wouldn’t be a regret as such, but it’s clear that it’s one of my next challenges. In any case, I am already very proud of what I have achieved and what I am still doing in England.
“You know, when I arrived ten years ago in the Premier League, it was a dream. So, in a way, I’m still living my dream.”
