and you're assuming that Benteke and Hodgson won't be offered extensions (or won't accept them if offered).

Benteke has now scored 3 in the last 7 games (as many as the rest of the team put together over that period). He seems to be gaining a bit of confidence and I expect Hodgson will continue to start him during the rest of the campaign whenever he can. It would not surprise me if he's offered a new contract on reduced terms. Whether he accepts those terms is, of course, a different matter.

Sorry to disagree but Benteke is just not good enough for this league, he lacks pace vision and anticipation, on Saturday he spent a large part of the game just jogging around in the centre of the pitch keeping as far as way from any physical contact as possible, he fails to press opposition off the ball or to create space for others using his physical presence when we are attacking, he has no vision on where the ball may end when it come in to the box and instead is static waiting for the ball to come to him, he states are appalling 25 appearance with an average of 0.28 goals per game and one assist out of all those appearances. We surely do not want another season paying his reported 120K/per week or 6.240MIL per year + add ons. No wonder Klopp off loaded him and now we need to do the same!

Sorry to disagree but Benteke is just not good enough for this league, he lacks pace vision and anticipation, on Saturday he spent a large part of the game just jogging around in the centre of the pitch keeping as far as way from any physical contact as possible, he fails to press opposition off the ball or to create space for others using his physical presence when we are attacking, he has no vision on where the ball may end when it come in to the box and instead is static waiting for the ball to come to him, he states are appalling 25 appearance with an average of 0.28 goals per game and one assist out of all those appearances. We surely do not want another season paying his reported 120K/per week or 6.240MIL per year + add ons. No wonder Klopp off loaded him and now we need to do the same!

I'd like to see a cross per goal ratio.

I think his last few goals for us have pretty much come from the only cross of the game .. why not jog around if you know there is zero service .. the guy is pretty much a one trick poney .. he can head a ball .. so fffs Roy play wingers where they are supposed to play like Wilf on the right , Schupp or Townsend on the left with Eze behind Tekkers and Ayew up front ... 3-4-1-2

My understanding is that Matete is on an 18 month loan for a fee of £2.7 Mill with an option to buy for a further £13.4 mill after 15 starts.