Rumor Mongering: Benteke Deal Stumbles on Wages Demand

Well, Reds, please cap the vitriol and realize negotiations are negotiations before words are written below the fold.

So, at the moment, Palace supposedly tabled a £25M bid for Christian Benteke. Liverpool have made it clear they want £30mm, which makes it appear a deal is imminent.

Yet, because we are Liverpool and things must always be difficult, the deal also may founder because Christian Benteke wants a raise before he departs to a lesser club. While one can understand the bargaining position objectively, it's hard to square his salary demands with his stated desire to play.

Currently, Benteke makes £140k per week and likely is Liverpool's highest paid player (yes yes, let it go). Palace have never paid wages even close to that amount to any player. This is where we remind everyone about the new TV deal, which makes Newcastle's failure to stay up all the funnier and Palace's ability to pay a concrete fact.

No number has been floated by Benteke, his agents, or the reporters that pretend like they are reporting facts. From an objective perch, one would assume he will take a pay cut for first team football. But if the player insists on a raise before he will leave the club for long enough to drag out this saga, expect a fair amount of vitriol from many, many quarters.

For now, however, let his agent do his job and see what the lad can bleed from the man, as this deal should still be consummated after all parties hereto cease the transfer dance.