Aston Villa has been the home for a host of talents over the years, with players that have provided precious memories in the Midlands throughout the club's rich history.
With a new wave of quality arriving through the doors of Villa Park this summer, the stage is set for a fresh set of stars to write their name in history.
Not many have been as influential in the Premier League era to the Villans as Jack Grealish, who was sold by the club for a blockbuster £100m back in 2021, making Villa a fortune after excelling through the academy ranks.
Another player who made the Midlands side a rather healthy amount of profit was the well-loved Christian Benteke, who was captured as an unknown and sold on as a prolific scorer in claret and blue.
How much did Aston Villa sign Christian Benteke for?
Signed for £7m back in 2012, Christian Benteke’s arrival at Aston Villa required a note of backing from manager at the time Paul Lambert, as his calibre was doubted at a time of need for quality.
Just 21 years old at the time, the Belgian arrived in Birmingham on the back of a ten-goal season in the Jupiler Pro League with Genk, and was purchased by the Villans to bring the goals to Villa Park.
The season prior, Villa had been subject to a relegation battle in the Premier League, finishing 16th in the 2011/12 campaign which led to Lambert’s arrival to replace Alex McLeish as boss.
Benteke’s arrival was at a difficult time, and a time when results had to come fast with little margin for error, which is exactly what the attacker delivered.
How many goals did Christian Benteke score for Aston Villa?
The £7m settlement for the former Genk starlet soon looked to be a bargain, as he adjusted to life in England with ease, as supported by his terrific numbers in his debut campaign.
It’s common for players to require an adaptation period when moving to the Premier League, however, the striker seemed to have found sanctuary at Villa Park, contributing to 30 goals in all competitions in his debut year.
A breakdown of 19 Premier League goals and four league assists, as well as netting four and assisting three in only five league cup games for his new club, rounded up a memorable first spell at Villa, via Transfermarkt.
Christian Benteke record in England:
101
49
12
177
37
12
42
10
6
Lambert had the last laugh when it came to his capture of Benteke, heralding his man as an “absolute steal” following his first taste of life in England. It was an emphatic way to silence any doubters.
A combative and towering figure to have in the front line, the 6 foot 3 target man was previously lauded as a “machine” by former teammate Fabian Delph, who also described the talisman’s talents as “explosive” at Villa Park.
101 appearances later and the forward had found the net a total of 49 times for the club, as well as recording 12 assists in all competitions to communicate the threat he added to the final third.
In an interview relayed by Villa’s official site, the Belgian recalled his time in the Midlands as being the “best time” of his career, where he truly established himself as a recognised marksman in world football.
What happened to Christian Benteke?
In his final campaign at Villa Park in 2014/15, the striker scored 13 goals in what was a worrying season for the club, as they finished 17th and narrowly missed the relegation zone after a dreary term.
Benteke’s contribution to Villa despite their struggles didn’t go unrecognised, and in the summer of 2015, his story in Birmingham came to a close as he headed for pastures new elsewhere in the Premier League.
A £7m arrival was turned into a £32.5m exit in a matter of three years, as Liverpool captured the then 24-year-old’s signature to join Brendan Rogers’ side. It marked phenomenal business by the Villans with the forward's price increasing by a margin of 364%.
The Belgian only lasted a single season at Anfield, scoring nine Premier League goals before being shipped away to London, where he signed for Crystal Palace just the summer after his arrival on Merseyside.
While a quiet spell in front of goal for his standards was less memorable at Liverpool than his time at Villa, the Belgian still produced loud moments, netting an overhead kick at Old Trafford that will remain in Premier League folklore.
Despite experiencing a lull with the Reds, Benteke rediscovered his form with the Eagles, netting 15 league goals in his debut campaign in 2016/17, going on to score a total of 37 goals for the club during his six-year stay.
Arriving a nobody and leaving the Premier League with 280 appearances and 86 goals registered the Belgian's legacy in England, with his journey beginning and proving most prolific in the Midlands.
Where is Christian Benteke now?
The striker called it quits on his time in England last summer, where he ventured to MLS to play for DC United.
Similar to his experiences during his debuts in the Premier League for all three clubs, the 32-year-old got off to a fast start in the United States, scoring ten goals in his 25 appearances so far in the 2023 campaign. He even found room to replicate that famous overhead kick.
With 45 international caps to his name, as well as 18 international goals, Benteke still represents Belgium when called upon, however was not selected to feature as part of his country’s World Cup squad.
A dip in form warranted the former Villa man’s exclusion from the side, however, the indications are there that Benteke is in the process of locating his quality once more in the States.
Earlier this week, the Belgian played a man-of-the-match performance against Chicago Fire, where he netted a brace and grabbed an assist to boost Wayne Rooney’s side’s hopes of being in the playoffs.
There’s plenty yet to come from Benteke, with his attention firmly on adding to his goal tally in the MLS, as well as having the potential to find a way back into the national team.
One thing for certain is the dynamic forward will never be forgotten at Villa Park, or at least the Premier League, where he has written himself into the headlines on countless occasions over the years.