Just days after Palace manager Alan Pardew splashed out a club record fee of 32 million pounds on Liverpool’s Christian Benteke, he now has added his younger brother Jonathan Benteke to the list of players bought during the transfer window.
Much like his brother, Jonathan Benteke is a striker. The 21-year-old has agreed to join Palace on a free transfer, having been without a club following his departure from Zulte Waregem in the Belgian Pro League.
According to reports, Jonathan will begin his time at Palace in the reserve team, or will be immediately sent out on loan.
He is not exactly as famed as his elder brother, but at 21, still has a lot to prove. Perhaps Pardew is looking forward to link the pair in the near future as they might develop a good understanding with each other.
Jonathan’s scoring records, however, are far from impressive.
He has managed just three goals in 25 appearances in all competitions for Zulte Waregem after joining the club from C.S. Vise in 2014.
He is also a product of Standard Liege’s youth system, but had failed to find the back of the net in 17 games for the Belgian outfit in the 2015/16 campaign.
His stats may go against him, but Pardew is also known for bringing the best out of players who are seemingly less talented than most.
Apart from Pardew, he has a mentor in the form of his elder brother and if he can get inspiration to play as well, if not better, the ‘Benteke brothers’ could certainly go on to become one of the famed strike forces in the world, and not just because of the name.
Jonathan’s signing also marks the end of a hectic and crazy transfer market for Crystal Palace, one in which they shelled out record money to rope in Loic Remy, Andros Townsend, Steve Mandanda and James Tomkins, besides the Benteke brothers.
Palace are a decent team on paper but they will have to convert potential into performances and results if they want to seriously establish themselves in the top flight. With the players they have though, they are more than capable.
