Aston Villa News 24/7Writer: J P Fear 
Date:Friday February 8 2013
Time: 12:02PM
UK time is: 10:48:02
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Ouch. Big Boys Chasing Villa's Christian Benteke?
Jeremy Cross of The Daily Star has an article quoting 'pals` of Christian Benteke saying the striker wants to leave Villa whether we are relegated or not.
The report says that will 'spark a £16million race` for his services.
The usual suspects are named as suitors, Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea.
Spurs were also linked last month (Click Here) in another report.
This report says Starsport understands Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is leading the race to sign Benteke, who has made no secret of his love for the London outfit.
This is just press talk to be fair, but............
Meanwhile Mat Kendrick has a report in The Birmingham Mail where Paul Lambert is quoted as saying he`d not be available on the cheap.
I must admit, I`d prefer to have read 'he`s not available` ... full stop.
When asked if he has doubled in value the Villa boss says 'yes by miles`.
"When the guy came in people were saying to me 'who is he and why are you going for someone from Genk?` With what he`s done he`s a cult hero." Adding, "He`s not just going to walk out of here for the value he came for, that`s for sure."
And when asked if the player was unhappy: "If that`s the whispers coming back then..it`s funny that because he doesn`t speak! So I`ve not heard it. He`s a cracking big guy and really humble. If he keeps that he could be anything he wants to be."
Our forum thread on the subject: Click Here
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Your Comments
Question . Just WHEN will this stop , AV selling its star players, when will be build ... when when when !!!!!
Eddy1
where is the *dislike* button!
The Fear
£16m? Try £25m!! He's been great - like Heskey but with a fantastic goal threat. He reminds me of Drogba (And a little like big Carew but better on the ground & not quite as good in the air)
thorpyuk
Fair to say he will definitely go. His comments about arsenal when he joined indicate that he doesn't have any real fondness for aston villa apart from as a stepping stone.
If we stay up I can see Benteke and Bent both leaving, freeing up some £30 million for transfers. That will be make or break time for Lambert, he will have the skeletal squad he has built this year and will have that £30 million to make 3 or 4 key signings that will push us onward. A striker or 2, a winger and a marquee central midfielder (I think he will be looking for the young defence to gel so I cant see any significant additions there)
AHAVFC
I've heard there is a £22.8m clause or three times his purchase price in his four year contract. Minimum of £30m and we should play hard ball on add on's should he make x amount of appearances etc.... that's if it's true. He would have come here knowing the clubs situation and where they aim to take it by buying young up and coming hungry talent. Time to play hard ball with players, agents and chasing clubs. No more being bullied or ripped off, no more being used as an easy stepping stone to the big clubs. Arsenal won't pay big money so it would only be Chelsea or Man City in my opinion. UTV
astonmilan
.................. plus if he has had his head turned now at 22 then he could just flop at a big club. He won't get away with the average performances and frustrating misses at the top end of the table.
astonmilan
& to be fair if I hadn't been born in Aston of Villa parents ,watched them religiously for 40 years & as much as poss for the last 10 years I'd be off too after the last few years. Good luck to him he owes us nothing
AstonBilla
Agree with AstonBilla, Milner and 14 million would be nice.
Lost_In_Ca
Young guy, only served 1 year of contract....they can have him but they will have to pay big money, at least £20m imo
Villan Of The North
Shame on anyone who believes a bull***** report from The Daily Star! So many are willing to believe every word of negative Villa press but are quick to dismiss any positive Villa press. An odd mindset to have.
I'm not saying the kid will be a Villa player forever but he signed a four year contract which means he will be with us for at least a couple of years. If the club decides to sell (on our terms) I back the club to get top dollar and find suitable replacements. It's the same system for ALL clubs.
Loads of clubs will be selling players or are having their players linked away - The same Daily Star is mooting Man City will be losing Kompany, for example. this is modern football and the media. Take it all with a pinch of salt!
People slamming the manager for what he said must remember that the media will use quote s totally out of context to suit the angle of their article.
Come on folks...you know how it all works by now, don't you? Stop the wrist-slitting negativity.
donegalvillan
What happened to building something?? I just dont care anymore no reason why he would either.
gdav
As much as Randy isn't in the good books at Villa right now, he is not one to bow down to the big boys. If they do want him and he does want to leave they will have to pay through the nose for him. He has plenty of time on his contract and Randy will hold off for the best price or he will stay.
AstonThriller
donegal I am afraid this also appears in bbc gossip and while as the title says its gossip they are usually pretty carefull. All this just makes me wonder why we bother getting players to sign contracts they do as they please anyway, oh yes I know we get more money for him but what about telling him to honour his f***** contract just for once like to see our club stand up and be counted.
Merlin128777
You get them to sign contracts so you can get as much as poss for them if they decide to move on. The days of Johnny Haynes etc are well & truly gone . If they want to go (with a few exceptions) they go. You just get as much as poss for them . Plus if we go down I should imagine there will be quite a few more out the door for various reasons
AstonBilla
Same background as you Astonbilla born in Aston of Villa parents apart from age watching them for longer :) If a few others are going hope it includes Bannan,Ireland,Makoun,Dunne,Hutton,Albrighton,KEA,Bennet,Delph but I suppose it will be the ones we want to keep who will go.
if we drop.
Merlin128777
I dont think that it will surprise anyone when Christian Benteke up's and off's come seasons end, it's probably as certain as night following day. The pairing up of Benteke and AVFC is just a mis-match of major proportions, a young, promising, highly talented young footballer, rapidly on the rise, destined to prosper and flourish with a major club either here or in europe, and a struggling unambitious outfit going nowhere fast. Before the parting of the ways though, I hope he plays a full and complete part in keepingus in the top flight, such a result will help cushion the blow of his departure somewhat. We'll pick ourselves up and move on, we always do.
glensider
"he can be what he wants to be" again.... in an Arsenal or Man Citeh shirt I suppose. If he does go in the Summer, I'd go for a player + 5 - 8m! With te likes of Djecko (is that how you spell it?)coming to us.
Pride of Lions
Dzecko would love it here I'm sure!! Wage structure and lack of peers of his standard in the squad and lack of success will mean that the revolving door will keep turning. But as said we're stuck with the ones that no-one else wants!! Business plan is a failure of the highest degree. I'm sure we'll get excuses or silence. They know that we don't believe their lies anymore.
Villan444
Mastercard or Visa Randy?.
Oscararc
This is a rehash of a rubbish story that came out when a "friend" of Benteke told a journo that he was an Arsenal fan and that he thought Aston Villa were based in London. Typical of a rag paper kicking the club while we are struggling. The boy hasn't opened his mouth since he arrived, so why should anyone believe this tabloid Cr4p. Lets see what the next 13 games bring before we jump to conclusions FFS, starting by making Sam even more miserable than usual on Sunday, hopefully aided by the second best bargain of the season (only Michu was better value IMO).
Madirish
You often get rehashed stories after windows close. If you do have to sell him it would be a pity as he is still developing.
SFC Forever
Yes SFC. But people don't develop to any better standard at VP. To reach next level, he needs to move on unfortunately.
Villan444
We have had it as a club for a long time to come well until Randy sells up anyway
CLIVETHEVILLAN
If he goes, will the fee be reduced by the fair play rules limiting spending??
Gordonsleftboot
The Daily Star??????
What a lot of toilet paper that is and a reprint of what has gone before. This is just pure negative speculation based on the fact that we have a gem of a player. They were all saying this about Bent, more in the hope that it would create a real story. Inevitable I suppose that the press will want to create gossip. Still, we won't need to sell and on a 4 year deal we'd be looking for £30 Million even to think about it.
Villa_Grizzly
All the hallmarks of another star player being sold on the cheap. Couldn't believe Lambert didn't just dismiss the subject rather than indicating the player has a price. Relegated or not we should be keeping Benteke for one more season at the very least. How can we progress if we keep selling the future. No doubt Weiman and Lowton will follow as well. This isn't even a case of Lerner getting his money back. A lot of the cash spent on players has been generated naturally through Villa revenue or player sales. There seems to be an obsession with wages, well pay championship salary's and that's where you'll be.
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Mister Mick
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