8 Most Overpaid Premier League Footballers Right Now

7. Christian Benteke

Joe Hart
Jonathan Brady/PA Wire

Christian Benteke began his senior career with Belgian outfit Standard Liege where he assisted the club in their League triumph in the 08/09 season where he made 12 appearances and scored 3 goals. After this he was loaned out to Kortrijk and KV Mechelen before returning to his childhood club Genk in August 2011.

One year later in August of 2012 he was the subject of a deal which saw him transfer from the Jupiler League to the bright lights of Villa Park and in his first season he hit the ground running with 19 goals in 34 games. The following season he scored 10 goals in 26 appearances, then followed this up in his final year in Villa colours by bagging 13 goals in 29 appearances during the 14/15 season

The consistency which he displayed at Aston Villa drew the interest of Liverpool who invested in his services. However, after only scoring 9 goals in 29 appearances he fell out of favour at Anfield.

In August of 2016, Benteke made the switch to his current club Crystal Palace. His first season was a relative success where he scored 15 goals in 36 games. Unfortunately for the Belgian striker this is where his success ended. The following 2 seasons saw only 4 goals in a total of 47 games, a decent tally for a defender, but not a striker that you forked out a massive fee for.

Mr Benteke, who was once a fierce aerial threat, has seen his role at Selhurst Park reduced to that of a bench warmer, having scored pitifully few this season, and for the pleasure of this role he walks away with the mouth-watering amount of £120k a week. Surely not the return that was hoped for upon his contract negotiations.

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