MLS side DC United has signed Belgium international and former Crystal Palace striker Christian Benteke. The former Liverpool and Aston Villa striker is not just an ordinary signing but is being brought into the club as a designated player.
Benteke’s signing underscores DC United’s resolve to revamp and restructure the team, whose fortune has been dwindling of recent. Benteke has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with the club, which will keep him at the club till 2024. DC United are yet to disclose the amount expended on bringing the Belgium international to the MLS, but it is inevitable that they have paid much to bring in the player to the club.
The role of former Man United and Derby County manager Wayne Rooney in Benteke’s switch to DC United cannot be undermined. Speaking after the official confirmation of Benteke’s signing by the club, Rooney expresses full optimism in the ability of the player to deliver. He had definitely pressed the button for the arrival of Benteke as he admits his reverence for the experience and abilities of the player.
“Christian is a top player who has played at the highest level for a long time,” Wayne Rooney, said. “His experience and ability to score goals and help the team will be invaluable. It’s exciting for the team and myself to get him in and playing. He will make a huge difference.”
Rooney added that Benteke is the hit signing and will make a huge difference in the club. Benteke is not brought in as an ordinary signing but as a designated player. This means that the MLS side has broken their treasury and expended much to bring Benteke to the club.
The designated player rule, also known as the David Beckham rule, allows clubs to sign a maximum of three players and pay higher above their normal limits. This points to the priority placed on the Belgium international by a desperate DC United bent on getting results and returning the club to its glory days.
The DC United president of soccer operations, Dave Kasper, affirmed how the club has placed a high premium on the player, making them to bring in Benteke as their first designated player this summer.
“We’ve been working hard over the last few weeks to bring in talent to bolster our squad,” Dave Kasper, D.C. United president of soccer operations, added. “Being able to bring in a world-class player of Benteke’s caliber is a huge testament to what’s going on behind the scenes at the club and our ability to draw top talent globally.
“We have been extremely active in the transfer window bringing in six players and since Wayne Rooney’s appointment as our Head Coach we believe we have made major steps in putting together a roster that can both make a push to finish this season strong and build a foundation for us moving forward.”
Benteke is DC United’s 5th signing this season as the club battles to revamp the team. David Ochoa, Victor Palsson, Miguel Berry, and Raphael Morrison arrived at the club this summer.
Wayne Rooney has a good set of front liners already to work with. The likes of Taxi Fountas, Michael Estrada, and Ola Kamara are ready for action. The arrival of Benteke will further deepen the competition for a place in Wayne Rooney’s starting line-up.
Can Benteke Deliver?
The 32-year-old Belgian has toured some clubs in his home country before joining the Premier League. He is a renowned name in the Premier League.
Benteke has played for Liverpool as a top front liner under Brendan Rodgers. Rodgers signed Benteke from Aston Villa in 2015 for £32.5m. He spent just a season in the Merseyside club.
At the arrival of Jurgen Klopp, he was shown the way out as he did not fit into Klopp’s tactical plan; the former Borussia Dortmund and Bundesliga winner needed attackers with more energy and quicker pace – what he claimed Benteke lacked.
Klopp limits Benteke’s Liverpool spell to only cameo appearances off the Reds bench before letting him leave. Benteke scored 15 goals in his debut season for Crystal Palace and has been dropping down the pegging order since then. His woes were compounded with injuries.
In the 2017-2018 Premier League season, he managed only 3 goals in 31 appearances for the club. Only time will tell whether Benteke will live up to the bidding and stitch together his dwindling career at DC United.
