After scoring just one goal in the 2018-19 season, Christian Benteke would have hoped the 2019-20 campaign would go a lot better for him stats wise, but it hasn’t.
The Crystal Palace striker has found the back of the net just once during the current campaign, with the goal coming in a 3-1 loss to Everton, and has missed out on the last two games through injury.
In that time, the Eagles have lost 4-0 to Liverpool and 1-0 to Burnley, but things should get back to normal, according to his agent Kismet Eris.
Speaking to RTBF, he explained his client’s situation: “Christian has been lightly injured the past two games, but before that, he’d played five promising games in a row. He’s not scoring, but he weighs on opposition defences and allows his teammates to be more present. He remains one of the best in the Premier League in the air and his lifestyle is perfect”.
Despite failing to find the back regularly, or even semi-regularly, for that matter, Benteke has an important role in Roy Hodgson’s plans, exemplified by the fact the Eagles gave him a new contract, showing they were counting on him.
As the player has hinted before, Eris confirmed the striker had the chance to look elsewhere in January, but decided to stay put.
He said: “In the winter, I had many offers for him, especially from Aston Villa, but also Club Brugge, and others, but Christian is attached to London and wants to succeed where he is”.
Despite struggling over the past couple of seasons, there’s no denying that, when in form, the target man can be lethal.
And Eris believes managers just need to play to his client’s strengths: “That’s when he ‘sefficient. Otherwise, you’re wasting your time. He needs a ‘British’ manager, meaning attacking, like Brendan Rodgers was, Alan Pardew or even Sam Allardyce during his best season [at Crystal Palace]”.
