Former Crystal Palace star John Salako has conceded that he’s shocked by talk of Christian Benteke getting a new contract from the Eagles.
As noted by the Guardian, there were suggestions this past summer that Palace could offer a new deal to the Belgian striker.
That’s despite the 28-year-old scoring just 21 goals in 96 appearances since he arrived at Selhurst Park in 2016, as after a promising start he has faded badly with injuries and poor form playing their part.
Salako has reacted with shock to the suggestion that Benteke could get a new deal, as although he’s tried to be as respectful and fair as possible, he has ultimately been brutally honest with his thoughts about his stint with Palace and it’s difficult to disagree with him.
“There is talk of Benteke getting a new contract and I am just flabbergasted!,” Salako told talkSPORT. “The lad was incredible at Aston Villa – he was a beast. He also went and did well at Liverpool for a while, but then he got injured and I think he has struggled.
“But what has happened over the last two or three years of him at Palace – and I don’t like digging him out – he’s been awful.
“I really feel for the lad to a point because he just can’t do it. It’s like he’s got his boots on the wrong feet. He just can’t do anything right; it’s amazing.
“I’m not sure whether Palace can still believe that it is coming, but what they have got to do is find a striker or a couple of strikers that are going to get goals.
“I think it is partly to do with injuries – his body not being right – and partly to do with his head.
“His movement has got to be right, because if you attack the ball right he will score more goals.
“And Benteke has got to be someone, for £30million, who is scoring 20 goals! At least 15-20 [a season], but he’s been nowhere near – he’s been getting twos and threes. You are like ‘wow!’
“You could play anyone there! Over the course of a season, the games played to goals ratio is shocking.”
Time will tell what Palace decide to do with Benteke, but Salako is evidently of the opinion that if he can’t get his head down and prove his worth this season, they should be looking at other options to give them a consistent source of goals.
