Well, I don't think we're that far off the CL as the squad stands now. Because I feel there's a lot of natural improvement within the squad - largely because a lot of players couldn't have been any worse or ineffective than they were last season. (in 6 months time people like Hansern and RedNinja will say Rodgers is a good manager again, rather than acknowledge that a players form can fluctuate regardless of the manager and is more likely to be affected by other issues)
I also think the additions outweigh the losses already.
So I don't see the glaring need to do a deal. That's my starting point.
With Benteke himself. I said a while back I think he's someone we should consider signing. He's 24, has a 1 in 2 Premiership record. He was coming off an achlles injury but looked to have recovered, then he hit a great purple patch and became a bit overvalued.
For me to think 32m is a good deal I need to think he's got improvement left in him.
I don't think he's capable of being better than a 1 in 2 striker, I don't think he's going to improve much from here on out in himself.
Then there's the risk of.moving to a different team (I feel basketball metrics have this bit nailed, football needs to do similarly). Some players need a lot of ball to be good, others don't. I don't know how many touches Benteke needed in a game. I wonder how Benteke would fare in a team less reliant on him and less likely to try to force the ball to him.
I don't think he's top class, I think he's very good. And i always feel, with not a lot to back it up, that players like him have a three year window in which they excel and look better during. I wonder if next year is year three of that window, and similar to Heskey he blazes a trail in his first season then never repeats it.
I could live with 20m and a three year deal, happily