Crystal Palace signs Christian Benteke with a club record £32m fee from Liverpool

GE

Palace tabled an improved offer for Benteke which guarantees Liverpool will receive £27m plus a further £5m in realistic add-ons.

Liverpool paid Aston Villa £32.5m for the Belgium international last summer.

Benteke is expected to now have a medical and finalise personal terms with the player’s camp having been seeking £120,000-a-week.

The breakthrough in negotiations ends a complicated process which has dragged throughout the summer.

Benteke has never fit into Jurgen Klopp's template for Liverpool having been signed by Brendan Rodgers.

Rodgers was sacked in October and Benteke struggled after that.

The Reds signed Sadio Mane this summer and already have Daniel Sturridge, Divock Origi, Danny Ings, Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho in attack.

Mario Balotelli is surplus to requirements and has been linked with Wolves this week.

Benteke will become Palace's record signing.