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20th Aug 2016

Christian Benteke leaves Liverpool to sign for Crystal Palace

Tony Cuddihy

Will Jurgen Klopp use the £27m (plus add ons) to buy himself a left-back?

Christian Benteke has left Liverpool and signed for Crystal Palace for a fee reported to be around £27m, with the £5m in add-ons.

If Benteke reaches his targets the Reds will have recouped much of the £32.5m they paid Aston Villa for the 25-year-old last summer.

The Belgian did not have the best of times at Anfield and started only eight Premier League games under Klopp, but he still managed to score ten goals – many of which proved decisive in narrow victories – and won the late penalty against Palace that saw Liverpool grab a late, late victory in March.

Benteke joins Andros Townsend, James Tomkins and Steve Mandanda among Palace’s new summer signings.

With a wealth of attacking talent already at Anfield, Klopp is not expected to be too busy before the transfer window closes in less than two weeks, although many Reds fans are hoping he can land a left-back to compete with headless chicken Alberto Moreno.