Crystal Palace to hold showdown talks with Christian Benteke as striker insists he wants to stay
Belgian wants assurances from chairman Steve Parish after struggling for form as Roy Hodgson's side battled relegation
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CHRISTIAN BENTEKE wants to stay at Crystal Palace and will hold talks with chairman Steve Parish.
The Belgian striker, 27, has struggled for form this season - scoring just his third goal of the season against Leicester.
And after being dropped to the bench by Roy Hodgson, Benteke wants to discuss his role moving forward.
He said: "I'm under contract until 2020, so I want to stay here. I'm going to speak to the chairman and the club about what they want to do with me.
"At the end of every season you have to speak, to see the plan for the next season. To speak, to see what they want to do with me.
"They saw the best of me last season, and I wanted to do even better this season, but it didn't work like that and I will go again next season.
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"It's been frustrating [to be on the bench] because it's the first time that's happened to me.
"The squad are all behind me because they know that it's not the best time for me, and it's the first time I've been through this hard time without scoring. They wanted to give me a big boost."
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Benteke came off the bench against the Foxes and netted a penalty after regular taker Luka Milivojevic stepped aside at Hodgson's suggestion.
Wilfried Zaha was again heavily involved in the win and Eagles boss Hodgson is braced for interest this summer.
He said: "That'll be a club issue. He's not going to stay because of my blue eyes - he'll stay because he likes playing at Selhurst Park, likes the club, and thinks it's the right place for him.
"If someone like Wilf's head is ever turned, it won't just be because there's more money involved, it'll be for other reasons, and that's something Steve Parish and I will have to contend with.
"But at the moment it's pure speculation."