---
title: "Sherwood: Benteke wants Villa stay"
canonical: "https://readliverpoolfc.com/news/sherwood-benteke-wants-villa-stay/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Ben Smith"
section: "Liverpool News"
published: "2015-05-23T11:32:17Z"
modified: "2015-05-23T12:40:18Z"
---

# Sherwood: Benteke wants Villa stay

Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood believes Liverpool target Christian Benteke wants to remain at Villa Park.

The Reds are desperate to sign a forward in the summer, as their current crop of strikers have only mustered 13 goals between them in all competitions this season.

Paul Joyce from *The Express* reported that 24-year-old Benteke is top of Brendan Rodgers’ wish list, but Sherwood, speaking in his pre-match news conference on Friday, insisted that the 24-year-old is happy playing for Villa.

*“I have no reason to think he is seeking employment elsewhere,”* said Sherwood. *“I am convinced he wants to be at this club.”*

In 99 appearances for Villa, Benteke has registered 49 goals, including five against Liverpool over the course of the past three seasons.

He has 21 Belgium caps to his name, and has netted seven times for his country.

Benteke would cost around £25-30m, and the Reds face stiff competition from Premier League champions Chelsea to secure his signature.

Divock Origi will line up for Liverpool next season as he returns from his season-long loan spell at Lille, and there is strong interest in Burnley’s Danny Ings, whose contract runs out at Turf Moor in July.

But with Daniel Sturridge’s injury woes and the likely departures of Mario Balotelli, Rickie Lambert and Fabio Borini, further reinforcements are required in the centre-forward position at Anfield.