Liverpool transfer news: Crystal Palace laughed out of the room by Reds after making Christian Benteke bid that included three clauses
Eagles offered an initial £23.5m but clauses included Palace reaching the Champions League
CRYSTAL PALACE’S hopes of landing Christian Benteke were laughed out of Liverpool because of a bizarre triple clause included in the bid.
Palace offered an initial £23.5million to sign the misfit Kop striker, who has had a nightmare time of it in just over 12 months on Merseyside.
But despite including a clause which could have ultimately seen the price rise by another £7m, the chances of ever hitting that figure were slim to say the least.
For £2.5m of that was dependent on Palace reaching the Champions League, Benteke playing 70 per cent of the games – and also hitting 20 goals.
The way Benteke’s career has gone since leaving Aston Villa, any one of them are unlikely.
Yet Palace wanted the clause to be applicable only if all three happened in the same season.
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In little over a year at Liverpool, Benteke has made 42 appearances – less than half of them from the start – and hit ten goals.
He has insisted he is keen to stay and fight for his future on Merseyside, yet is also equally aware he is way down the pecking order.