Aston Villa confirm Christian Benteke has handed in a transfer request

Aston Villa have confirmed Christian Benteke has handed in a transfer request and the striker will be allowed to leave if a suitable offer is made 'within an appropriate timeframe'.

Speaking only last month, Lambert suggested that Benteke's future would be better served by remaining with Villa, where he is more likely to feature on a regular basis. The Scot told Talksport: "If you take that gamble to move to one of these huge clubs, then you might not play as many games. "Footballers want to play. If they're hungry enough, then that's half the battle. The pressure on a young player moving is high. "He's still a young lad learning the game and developing into a man." Lambert's comments came after Benteke's agent Eris Kismet was forced to deny reports at the end of last season that the player would try to force a move away from Villa. Kismet told Sky Sports: "Christian and I are surprised and disgusted by a story in the Sun newspaper claiming Benteke can do what he wants. "He has been misquoted. The true line is that Christian does not want to make a war with Aston Villa. "If there is interest, which is normal after the season he has had, no way will problems be made by Christian and myself. That is what he said in the interview! "He's more than happy to stay if he has to stay. But we all know he had a good season and it's normal that maybe other teams are more interested in him, and he might be interested to play European football which is his right. "If there is a team, a bigger team playing European football next season, that shows interest to Villa concerning Christian, I would be lying if I said Christian would ignore that. "But at the same time Villa have the right to say whatever is going to happen with Christian next year, and Christian will have his word also because it's his career. "It's no use with all respect to go to Southampton or Norwich. If he can improve himself in a footballistic way, okay, why not? But it's up to Aston Villa and that supposed team to get an agreement."