Crystal Palace up offer to £31.5m for Liverpool striker

Crystal Palace are reportedly prepared to increase their offer for Belgium international striker Christian Benteke this summer, according to the Liverpool Echo.

The Premier League club, who finished 15th in the English top-flight standings last term, have already had an initial £25m offer rejected by Liverpool for the forward.

Photo: Simon Stacpoole / Offside.

The 25-year-old, who has 29 international caps for his country and featured for Belgium at EURO 2016 this summer, scored 10 goals and provided six assists in 42 appearances in all competitions for the Reds last season.

Benteke, who only arrived at Anfield last July after sealing a £32.5m transfer from recently relegated Aston Villa, is tipped to leave Liverpool this summer after falling out of favour with German boss Jurgen Klopp.

The report suggests that the Eagles are ready to up their offer to £31.5m for the Belgian ace – just £1m less than what the Reds paid for the forward’s services almost 12 months ago.

Palace are willing to pay Liverpool £27m up front, with a further £4.5m due in add-ons.