Liverpool eyeing Benteke after Sterling transfer, but may be reluctant to match Villa's price

LIVERPOOL can now train its sights on Belgium striker Christian Benteke, but the money Aston Villa requires for the forward may be too much even after the Reds completed the deal to send Raheem Sterling to Manchester City on Tuesday.

After the £49 million deal that made Sterling the most expensive English footballer, the Reds could shop for a high-profile player.

[See Raheem Sterling now the most expensive English footballer after US$76M transfer to Man City from Liverpool]

Benteke could be the Reds’ No. 1 target during the transfer window, but “Liverpool may be reluctant to match Villa's price,” according to the mirror.co.uk.

The price to get Benteke is £32 million, and Villa is “determined to hold out for all of the £32million buy-out clause written into Benteke's contract,” John Cross wrote.