Christian Benteke latest: Liverpool target to tell Aston Villa he wants to leave this summer

Christian Benteke will tell Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood that he wants to leave the club when he reports for pre-season training, according to reports.

The Belgian striker been linked with a move to Liverpool this summer, but the Reds do not want to pay his £32.5m release clause while Villa have stated that he will not be sold unless that price is met.

Tim Sherwood has bet reporters £100 that Benteke will stay at Villa Park this summer, but according to the Guardian, the striker, who scored 12 goals in the final months of the season after Sherwood's appointment, wants to move on after three seasons battling relegation.

Villa travel to Portugal for their pre-season tour on Thursday and the report states that while Benteke is happy to travel and will not submit an official transfer request, he will seek a meeting with Sherwood to declare his intention to leave.

Liverpool are the only club to have really shown an interest in Benteke, who has two years left on his contract, so far, but his release clause beyond what they want to pay.

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Previous reports have stated that Liverpool could be willing to pay between £20m and £25m for the 24-year-old.