5 facts on new Crystal Palace signing Christian Benteke

AFP Sports picks out five facts on Belgian international striker Christian Benteke who completed his move to Crystal Palace from Liverpool for £27million (31m euros, $35m) on Saturday:

Congo's loss Belgium's gain

Benteke was born in the then Zaire and what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. His father Jean-Pierre was an army officer but in 1993 decided to quit the country, which was still ruled by the dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, with his family and establish themselves in their former colonial power Belgium. Benteke denies his father acted because he was afraid of being arrested by the notoriously paranoid Mobutu. "It wasn't especially because there was a war on where we were living, but because my father was in the military and he anticipated that the fighting would reach us," he told The Independent in 2012. "He didn't want to take risks with his family."

Street-wise

Benteke, who speaks French, English and Lingala, developed his wonderful talent on the streets of Liege like several other Belgian stars of his generation, some of whom like Vincent Kompany also were born in Congo. "I started in the street, playing with my mates in the evenings, it was more fun," he told The Independent. "I started playing with Axel Witsel, who is also from Liege. He played in the street. Kompany, (Mousa) Dembele, (Kevin) Mirallas all started playing in the streets."

Lambert makes a Villan of him 
Paul Lambert gave Benteke his first break in English football with Aston Villa after the devout Christian had shone for Genk, scoring 19 goals in 37 appearances for the unfashionable Belgian side. Such was former Scotland international Lambert's belief in the 21-year-old he outlaid a record fee for his tenure of a reported £7million ahead of the 2012/13 campaign. Benteke repaid his faith although it didn't prevent Lambert being fired in the 2014/15 season with Villa threatened with relegation. Benteke flourished after his departure scoring a hatful of goals to almost single-handedly save Villa from the drop. However, seeing the club were not going in the right direction he jumped at the courting of Liverpool and left in a £32.5million move after a haul of 42 goals in 89 appearances. He was proved right as Villa were relegated last season.      

The drowning 'Pool

His wage packet may have gone up considerably but his fortunes went in the opposite direction especially after Brendan Rodgers was given the heave ho by Liverpool two months into the Premier League campaign. Injuries hampered his ability to establish himself in the first team, he turned down a move to China in the January transfer window, and by season's end the relationship between him and Jurgen Klopp and indeed the fans was glacial with the Belgian complaining the charismatic German was ignoring him. Klopp shrugged it off in public but it soon became clear were a serious offer to come in he would not be putting up the Anfield drawbridge to prevent Benteke leaving.       

Father's tough but fair love

Jean-Pierre Benteke may have left his army post prematurely but the discipline he would have meted out to the soldiers under him he has imposed on his three children. Christian Benteke, though, appreciates his hardness and sought his advice when he fell out with Klopp. "My father is a very hard man," Benteke told The Independent. "He tells me that the career of a footballer isn't long so I must take full advantage of it. My mother is much softer. She speaks with her heart. My dad tells me the reality. If I am rubbish in a game, he lets me know. He doesn't mince his words. But he has brought us up well." Evidently Benteke's younger brother Jonathan didn't listen because he too has become a professional footballer playing for Belgian side Zulte Waregem. 

Source: AFP