Saturday 20 August 2016 17:23, UK
Crystal Palace have confirmed the signing of striker Christian Benteke from Liverpool on a four-year deal.
Palace have not disclosed the transfer fee they have paid for the 25-year-old Belgium international but it is an initial £27m plus £5m in add-ons, according to Sky sources.
The fee easily beats Palace's previous record purchase, set only last month when they bought Andros Townsend from Newcastle for £13m, and he becomes the fourth new arrival at Selhurst Park this summer following Townsend, James Tomkins and Steve Mandanda.
Benteke, who agreed personal terms and passed his medical with the Eagles on Friday, told his new club's official website: "I'm very happy to commit my future to Crystal Palace and I'm looking forward to meeting the manager, the players and the staff.
"I feel really happy that the deal has been done and now I can look forward because it's been going on for a long time, but now I think everything is going to be OK.
"I've met the manager a few times before I signed and that's why I wanted to come here. I was really happy to hear about his project and that is why I am excited to come here. I did my own research too and there are some great wingers here and because of that I think I can be a success here."
Liverpool paid Aston Villa £32.5m for Benteke, who has scored 51 Premier League goals in four years, a year ago and had been holding out for a similar fee despite the player falling out of favour under Jurgen Klopp.
Benteke played twice for Belgium at Euro 2016 and is happy with his fitness despite his lack of involvement in the Reds' pre-season schedule.
"My fitness is good because I have been working hard but I never got to play in any games so I just need a bit of match fitness," Benteke added.
"A lot of things happened at Liverpool - when I arrived it was with Brendan Rodgers as manager but then he was sacked and Jurgen came in and had his own plan, but that's part of football. I could have done better but I think I also needed some trust from the manager and the staff."
Palace manager Alan Pardew revealed at his press conference on Friday - ahead of Saturday's game against Tottenham - that Benteke had been on his radar for some time.
"It's important when you lose iconic players to try and replace them with iconic players," Pardew said. "We've lost two this week, Mile Jedinak and Yala Bolasie. Both were massive figures at this club and we will need to replace them with big figures.
"That's something that didn't always happen at [former club] Newcastle, unfortunately, so I'm pleased the board have been brave with this move.
"He's someone I know very, very well because I wanted to take him to Newcastle. I thought he'd be a fantastic fit for that club. He got the move to Liverpool and it hasn't quite worked out.
"For us, we need to get him back to doing what he does best. His style of play, the way he feeds off crosses. "He'll enjoy that with the wide players we have."
