Aston Villa recently managed to convince striker Christian Benteke to extend his spell at the club. The Belgian striker was signed from Genk only last summer for £ 7 million, but an impressive season in the Premier league has led to him being linked with every big club in England. Chelsea and Tottenham have been linked with a £ 25 million move for his services. The striker handed a transfer request to Aston Villa after just one season at the club. He still had three more years left on his contract that he signed upon his arrival.
However, manager Paul Lambert managed to convince him to stay at Aston Villa because it is a crucial time that could determine his passage into the 2014 World Cup. Belgium are currently one of the favourites to qualify for the 2014 World Cup. Lambert has said that Benteke will struggle to get into the Belgian squad if he does not play regularly in the coming season. He has said that the prospect of regular first-team opportunities is good only at Aston Villa. The striker scored close to 20 goals for the club last season as he helped them avoid relegation.
His huge physical presence has made him a force to reckon with in the Premier league.
“He’s not even at his peak yet. But he has quickly become a cult hero. The big thing for him is to go out and try to do what he did last year,” said the manager after the player signed a new four-year contract with the club. Benteke revealed that he has decided to extend his Aston Villa stay after extensive conversations with Lambert. He has also said that he is extremely thankful of the Aston Villa players and fans, who have been supportive of him in the last one year.