As Liverpool continue their pursuit of Aston Villa striker, Christian Benteke, they are prepared to use Rickie Lambert as part of a swap deal in order to tempt Tim Sherwood.
Villa and Lambert have had some previous, as Paul Lambert, the manager at the time, chased Rickie in January. However, Lambert chose to stay with his boyhood club in an attempt to fight for his place – but it hasn’t gone to plan.
Rickie Lambert is also attracting interest from the likes of Crystal Palace and newly promoted side Bournemouth too.
Lambert arrived at Anfield last summer for just £4m and has been unable to replicate the form he demonstrated at Southampton. You’d expect the price, if a deal was done, to be lower than what he was bought for, with his age (33) coming into consideration too.
The Mirror claim that Tim Sherwood will do everything he can in order for Benteke to continue his career at Villa Park.
He may find it difficult, though, with big clubs interested in his services and the fact there is only a couple of years left on his contract.
Sherwood has brought out the best in Benteke in his brief spell since taking over. Benteke’s form shows how much Villa rely on the Belgian, with the side beginning to grind out results as a result of his resurgence in form.
