Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood has admitted that striker Christian Benteke has a release fee but expects the player to stay at the club as it would help both the player and the club.
The manager have asked the player to snub all the interest from the big clubs and stay at Aston Villa as another good season would give him a chance to move to Real madrid. The former Spurs boss refused to confirm the actual value of the release clause which is expected to be around £32.5m.
He said, “Benteke’s made no indication that he wants to leave. Someone’s got to meet that buy-out clause and if they don’t it won’t be considered because we don’t want to lose him.”
Benteke joined Villa from Genk for £7m in 2012 and signed a new four-year deal in 2013. Sherwood insists he has not expressed a desire to leave Villa Park and urged him to stay for one more season.
“I don’t think he should be moving clubs before a European Championship,” he said.
“By playing for Aston Villa it hasn’t hindered him being the first choice at Belgium, up to now. So to come here and score at the ratio in which he has scored, since I have taken over, if he ends scoring 20 or 30 goals next season he is probably playing for Real Madrid.”
The player has been in incredible form as he managed to score 12 goals in his last 13 games under Tim Sherwood and have drawn interest from the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool.