Liverpool Close In On 7th Signing After Submitting Formal Bid For Man Utd Target

With the summer transfer window finally open for business, managers are working hard trying to strengthen their squads ahead of next season so we’ll bring you all the news and gossip. Today, Liverpool close in on Christian Benteke….

Liverpool are closing in on their seventh summer signing after finally submitting a formal £32.5m offer to trigger Christian Benteke’s release clause amid rumours Manchester United were plotting a late hijack attempt, according to the BBC.

Benteke has been strongly linked with a move to Liverpool this summer but the Reds were initially reluctant to meet Aston Villa’s demand of paying the full value of the striker’s £32.5m release clause with the Express reporting last month that their opening £22m bid had been rejected.

The Telegraph then reported earlier this week that Manchester United were set to enter the bidding for Benteke’s signature with the Red Devils supposedly ready to meet the 24-year-old’s release clause and try and steal the striker from under their rivals nose.

The threat of a late hijack from United appeared to spark Liverpool into action as the Liverpool Echo claimed yesterday that the Reds had decided to pay the required £32.5m and the BBC now say today that the offer has been formally put on the table.

The outlet claims that chief executive Ian Ayre – who’s out in Australia with the squad on their pre-season tour – has been handling the negotiations with Villa and the two clubs are now understood to be discussing the finer details of the proposed deal.

Once everything is resolved, Benteke will then be allowed to discuss personal terms and undergo a medical – both of which should be nothing more than a formality – so it appears Liverpool are now close to securing their seventh signing of the summer.

We’ll have to wait and see if United make any last ditch attempt to derail the move but I personally think talk of their interest was nothing more than Villa trying to force Liverpool into meeting the player’s release fee.

£32.5m is a huge sum but I think Benteke will prove to be an excellent signing for the Merseysiders. He’s scored 49 goals in 101 games for a poor Villa side and has a decent record against the top teams, so he’ll certainly be a useful addition if the Reds manage to get the deal over the line.

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Rodgers needed to strengthen his strike-force this summer after his side only managed to register 52 league goals last season and despite losing Raheem Sterling to Man City, with Benteke looking likely to join Danny Ings and Firmino at Anfield, I think it’s safe to say they should have more threat in the final third this year.