Crystal Palace’s transfer business isn’t done until 2017 like most Premier League clubs it seems.
Twitter: Free agent Jonathan Benteke, Christian’s younger brother (21), will join Crystal Palace. #cpfc #lfc (v. @PJCalcoen) https://t.co/5cVebxUkK9 (@HLNinEngeland)
Twitter: Jonathan Benteke is a striker. He wasn’t a first team regular in the Belgian league. #bentekebros (@HLNinEngeland)
It’s believed that striker Jonathan Benteke (yes, the brother of Christian) will be joining Palace on a free transfer.
Where to start with this one then? Well, Jonathan, like his older brother, is a striker. Unlike his brother, he’s not setting Palace back £32m.
The 21-year-old was released by Juliper Pro League side Zlute Waregem on the 25th of August and has now found a new home in South London with his brother.
Alan Pardew was looking to bring in a young forward on deadline day and failed with a £4.5m move for Charlton’s Ademola Lookman before seemingly settling on Jonathan Benteke.
Jonathan made his professional debut in the Proximus League (Belgium’s second-tier) for CS Vise, scoring two goals in 18 appearances before joining Zlute Waregem on a free transfer in the summer of 2014.
In the two years he spent in the top division of Belgian football, he scored twice in 18 appearances for Waregem, and just three times in 25 games across all competitions.
However, his minutes-to-goal ration isn’t terrible. In the Juliper Pro League, Jonathan averaged a goal every 137 minutes – better than a goal every two games, so you can argue there is a cause for optimism.
Palace have Jonathan’s older brother Christian on their books, as well as Loic Remy on loan from Chelsea and Connor Wickham, which would suggest the youngster’s time will be mostly spent in the development side.
