Liverpool have been heavily linked with Christian Benteke over the past few weeks, but the only factor that is stopping the Belgian from becoming a Liverpool player is his transfer fee.
Aston Villa are not willing to sell him for any less than his release clause, which is a staggering £32.5 million.
If Liverpool were to pay this fee, Benteke would become their second most expensive signing in the club's history after Andy Carroll and this would clearly leave a lot of extra pressure on his shoulders.
So, is the prolific striker really worth £32.5 million? Or should Liverpool look elsewhere?
The 24-year-old striker joined Aston Villa back in 2012 for a fee of around £7 million.
Since then, he has impressed in every season and boasts an impressive goal scoring record of around a goal every other game. To be precise, since joining Villa, he has scored 42 goals in 88 Premier League appearances.
This is made even more impressive due to the fact that the players around him at Villa Park aren't of the highest profile, so it is not as though his goalscoring record is obscured by a regular flow of chances.
However, despite this record, a fair few fans still don't believe Liverpool should spending so much on the Belgian striker.
Does Liverpool's style of play have a huge factor?
It is no secret that Benteke fits in better to a team that can play in lots of over the top balls and can supply plenty of crosses, because his best attributes are his strength and aerial abilities.
This, however, is not Liverpool's style of play and it would be difficult to see how Benteke would cope without being constantly fed balls in the air.
He has averaged 14 league goals a season since joining Aston Villa, but that average may significantly fall if he has to change his style of play dramatically to adapt to Liverpool's.
Liverpool would be taking a huge risk spending big on Benteke as they have not seen how he would play in a style similar to their own, and many fans would prefer to see that money spent on someone else who can play in their way and would not cost as much.
Should Liverpool explore alternative options?
Of course, Christian Benteke is not the only striker available this summer. There are plenty of other top class strikers and ones that would cost significantly less.
One of the most notable strikers available this summer is Alexandre Lacazette. The French striker is the same age as Benteke and currently plays for Lyon. Last season he scored an incredible 27 goals in 31 games in Ligue 1 and despite his fine scoring form, he is said to be available for just £21 million.
Lacazette would be a much cheaper option than Benteke and is one of the best strikers in the world on current form. He would also suit Liverpool's style of play perfectly, and can play as a lone striker or could form a formidable partnership with Daniel Sturridge once he returns from injury.
The only issue, is that the lack of UEFA Champions League football at Anfield could mean Lacazette would be more inclined to look for a move elsewhere, or even stay at Lyon.
Another striker that could be on the move this summer is Borussia Dortmund forward, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Despite a poor season for Dortmund, Aubameyang managed to score 26 goals in all competitions last year and played mostly in a striking role, moving from his original wing position. His versatility could also offer Liverpool more options and he could be better value for money, with his future uncertain in Germany.
Could Liverpool be repeating transfer history by signing Benteke?
Under manager Brendan Rodgers, Liverpool have previously and currently seen strikers Andy Carroll and Rickie Lambert, who play similarly to Benteke, in the side.
It would be fair to say that the pair did not, or have not, had successful careers at Anfield. They found themselves on the bench more often than on the pitch.
Liverpool did not play a style that suited them and they both struggled to adapt to Liverpool's style of play which limited their goal scoring opportunities.
If Liverpool were to spend big on Benteke, then history could certainly repeat itself and the Reds could find themselves £32.5 million in the red with very little to show for it.
Benteke could become a very good signing for any Premier League team, but for Liverpool, £32.5 million is far too much for a player that won't necessarily fit in to their style of play. The money could be spent elsewhere on a world class striker.
Hypothetically, if Liverpool could strike a deal for around £15 million, then Benteke could be worth the risk, but it seems Aston Villa are reluctant to sell him for anything less than his release clause and so they should steer well clear. Though, whether they actually do that, is a different matter.
