Christian Benteke linked with Merseyside return

Everton want former Liverpool striker Christian Benteke to replace Romelu Lukaku, according to a report.

Everton have spent big already this summer with an outlay of around £100million, including forwards Sandro Ramirez and Wayne Rooney, but they are still after a man to spearhead their attack.

Olivier Giroud is on their list of targets, but his future appears to be tied to whether Alexis Sanchez will leave Arsenal and, according to Sky Sports, Everton are now believed to be working on a deal for Crystal Palace striker Benteke.

The 26-year-old striker left Liverpool for Palace last summer for a club-record £26.5million move and scored 17 times as Palace staved off the threat of relegation.

Benteke penned a four-year deal last summer, but there were reports of the player being unsettled in March. The Belgium striker was even seen arguing with Andros Townsend, who chose to shoot rather than pass to the striker, after the 1-0 defeat to Middlesbrough.

Former Palace boss Sam Allardyce made it clear at the time that the club would decide Benteke’s future.

“I think Christian Benteke signed a five-year contract [four], so we’ll tell him what he’ll do,” said Allardyce in March.

“He’s our player and he’ll not dictate what he wants to do or doesn’t want to do, as far as I’m concerned. He accepted that contract in good faith.

“If both parties agree then that’s a different matter but for me, rumours like that at this stage of the season: I wouldn’t have thought he had said that.

“It’s another rumour from another source which generally happens in the transfer window, not around this time. (It’s the) usual speculation to try and stir the pot, I suppose.”

Benteke is also understood to be a target for Chelsea, who are looking for a replacement for the departing Diego Costa.