Benteke options

With the news that Christian Benteke has handed in a transfer request, we assess his possible suitors.

After scoring 19 Premier League goals for a side battling against relegation, Christian Benteke was always going to attract some interest this summer. In his first season in English football, Benteke quickly showed he is made for the fast and physical nature of England's top flight. He was the shining light in an Aston Villa team struggling for much of the season, with the likes of Liverpool and Everton suffering at the hands of the big front-man. His transfer request will disappoint Villa supporters but perhaps won't come as a complete surprise, with the striker making noises about the possibility of moving on almost as soon as the season ended. His manager Paul Lambert has been keen to stress the dangers of leaving the Midlands club too soon, warning his sought-after goalscorer that, while a move to a bigger club might be appealing in the short term, a lack of regular playing time could hamper his development over a longer period of time. It seems Benteke has decided such a risk is worth taking and certainly there will be no shortage of suitors now the Belgium international has made his intentions clear.