Quantifying Benteke’s value in the transfer market is difficult but, as Paul Lambert recently remarked, he would certainly command a fee more than double – and possibly triple – the £7 million Villa paid Genk for the relatively unknown powerhouse last August.
But his worth to Villa is so much more than that. It is no exaggeration to say that without the Belgium international in attack this season, the claret and blues would almost certainly have been relegated. They still might go down if they fail to maintain a timely revival, which has lifted them above the drop line, but in terms of points, Benteke’s contribution has been invaluable.
He is more than just goals and assists. His presence has given Villa an outlet, a focal point through which much of their forward play can be directed and a target to hit when they need defensive respite.
Having said that, it is his 17-goal strike-rate which has really caught the eye and ensured that a player who was barely a household name in his own household is now among Europe’s most sought-after strikers.
Four of his goals came in the Capital One Cup. Without his winning double at Swindon, Villa would have exited the competition at the last-16 stage at the County Ground, and he also scored in the quarter-final win at Norwich, although his semi-final goal against Bradford ultimately counted for little as the club embarrassingly bowed out.
But it is in the Premier League where he has particularly proved his worth, with 13 goals and four assists in 25 starts and two substitute appearances.
In a team which has only scored 31 league goals all season, Benteke has played an important part in 17, more than half of them.
We’ll turn a blind eye to the goals/points the 22-year-old frontman has unintentionally cost Villa through the occasional dereliction of duty when it comes to marking at corners – and the odd miss in front of goal.
In terms of goals and assists alone, it is interesting to note the decisive impact Benteke has had on games.
On one occasion, Liverpool away, his goals and assists (two goals, one assist) made the difference between a defeat and a victory, earning Villa three points. Four times his solitary goals have made the difference between a draw or a victory – Reading at home and away, West Ham at home, and QPR at home, gleaning eight points for the claret and blues.
And in four more games his goals or assists have made the difference between a defeat or a draw – Norwich at home and Swansea, West Brom and Everton away, clinching another four points.
Had he not scored against QPR at Villa Park last weekend, for example, Villa would have drawn 2-2 instead of winning 3-2 and taken one point rather than three.
Therefore Benteke’s goal that day earned them an extra two points, as shown in the table above, outlining Villa’s points return from all the league matches in which he has scored or assisted.
Okay, it is a crude way of assessing it and Benteke would be the first to say his success would not have been possible without his team-mates, but in terms of goals and assists alone, Benteke has earned Villa 15 points they might not otherwise have picked up. That is half of their 30-point tally for the season so far and without them the claret and blues would be marooned on 15 points at the bottom of the table.
Then there’s the goal difference. Without his goals and assists, Villa would have scored 14 goals and their goal difference would be minus 42 rather than minus 25.
Of course, there are so many other factors which have placed Lambert’s team in their current position, but alongside the decision to re-sign Brad Guzan, the capture of Benteke is the shrewdest decision of the manager’s fledgling reign.
Which brings us back to the question of how much is Christian Benteke worth to Villa? On this evidence, their Premier League status.
