Your agreement isnt very convincing, both Benteke and Luca are in their early 30s and on good contracts £5m and £4m plus respectively. Why would they want to leave, both their families are settled here, they are getting paid far more than they are currently going to get anywhere else.
Any ambition they had , would of been years ago. They have seen Kelly just turn up for training and take home his pay packet for 2 years, I expect it appeals to them.
If someone offered you £5m to do not a lot, would you accept half that amount to leave?

Your agreement isnt very convincing, both Benteke and Luca are in their early 30s and on good contracts £5m and £4m plus respectively. Why would they want to leave, both their families are settled here, they are getting paid far more than they are currently going to get anywhere else.
Any ambition they had , would of been years ago. They have seen Kelly just turn up for training and take home his pay packet for 2 years, I expect it appeals to them.
If someone offered you £5m to do not a lot, would you accept half that amount to leave?

The vibe I get from Luka is that he won't leave unless he's given no option and shipped out. He seems to have acknowledged that he's had a poor year, hasn't been disruptive about it and believes there are personal reasons for his loss of form too. He's clearly proud to captain the club and my sense is that he's tried to provide leadership off the pitch, where he can, in the absence of playing a lot. I suspect his thinking is that with a proper pre-season and personal issues behind him he'll be back to his best next season. I'm not saying I want him back or think he's good enough for what we've become, but that's the way I read what I'm hearing.

Benteke, I think, is harder to judge. I don't know the guy or attend training. You could say, as many here are, that he's happy to sit back and take the money for not playing (as is his right). Or you could say he's been brilliant this year. He's not been disruptive, he's not thrown his toys out of the pram because he's not playing, he's always been fit and ready when called upon, and the few times he has come in, well, he's scored four goals. For your last choice striker, that's not bad. The players all seem to like him. Maybe he's a valuable member of the squad.

Honestly, I'd rather Benteke came back than Luka. Luka is fairly easy to replace. His sort of midfielder doesn't cost much and is a dime a dozen to find. Benteke on the other hand may be horribly overpaid as a third choice striker (our fault, not his) but ignoring the salary, he is a pretty good third choice option to have. I doubt many clubs outside the top six have a better forward than Benteke to bring on as a sub of last resort.

I do think that both players, whatever their pluses and minuses, are getting far too little respect from some of you. Not everyone is going to hit the heights; both have been honest, hardworking, positive contributors to the club. I'd be quite happy if both left and agree we could use the money and squad places better but neither are awful players that I desperately want out at all costs.

Edited by sydtheeagle (28 Mar 2022 6.31pm)

What, have you lost the plot, Benteke is completely S***E, he probably stares at himself in the mirror all day, Parish should be forced to pay his wages out of his own money, giving him a two year extension FFS, i just don't ever want to see his arrogant f*****g face ever again. 70m p****d up against the wall.

No, i haven't been in the UK for 6 years and don't plan to ever go there again.

The vibe I get from Luka is that he won't leave unless he's given no option and shipped out. He seems to have acknowledged that he's had a poor year, hasn't been disruptive about it and believes there are personal reasons for his loss of form too. He's clearly proud to captain the club and my sense is that he's tried to provide leadership off the pitch, where he can, in the absence of playing a lot. I suspect his thinking is that with a proper pre-season and personal issues behind him he'll be back to his best next season. I'm not saying I want him back or think he's good enough for what we've become, but that's the way I read what I'm hearing.

Benteke, I think, is harder to judge. I don't know the guy or attend training. You could say, as many here are, that he's happy to sit back and take the money for not playing (as is his right). Or you could say he's been brilliant this year. He's not been disruptive, he's not thrown his toys out of the pram because he's not playing, he's always been fit and ready when called upon, and the few times he has come in, well, he's scored four goals. For your last choice striker, that's not bad. The players all seem to like him. Maybe he's a valuable member of the squad.

Honestly, I'd rather Benteke came back than Luka. Luka is fairly easy to replace. His sort of midfielder doesn't cost much and is a dime a dozen to find. Benteke on the other hand may be horribly overpaid as a third choice striker (our fault, not his) but ignoring the salary, he is a pretty good third choice option to have. I doubt many clubs outside the top six have a better forward than Benteke to bring on as a sub of last resort.

I do think that both players, whatever their pluses and minuses, are getting far too little respect from some of you. Not everyone is going to hit the heights; both have been honest, hardworking, positive contributors to the club. I'd be quite happy if both left and agree we could use the money and squad places better but neither are awful players that I desperately want out at all costs.

Edited by sydtheeagle (28 Mar 2022 6.31pm)