Aston Villa tie up their beast, but can he be tamed? (Video)

After initially fearing him leaving, Aston Villa now possess the only Premier League defence that does not have to worry about one of Europe’s most powerful strikers: Christian Benteke.

The young Belgian arrived at Villa Park on deadline day last summer as a virtually unknown 21-year-old.  Fast forward a year and he is a proven goal-machine with a £25 million price tag on his head.

Looking likely to leave the club after handing in a transfer request, Benteke has performed an astonishing U-turn and agreed a new four-year deal with Villa.  Paul Lambert’s side would not have avoided relegation last season if it were not for the big striker, and the Scottish manager will be pleased to have secured his services for the upcoming Premier League campaign.

More will be expected of the Villains this year, who in February looked destined for the drop.  Their young squad will once again have to show that they can cope with the demands of England’s top flight.  Despite handling himself well in his debut season, 2013/14 will be a different story for Benteke, as teams become more aware of him and try to the nullify the threat he poses.  The Belgium international also has the task of proving his commitment to the Villa Park faithful, who may remain sceptical about his antics earlier this transfer window.

Only a few years ago, Villa were regular contenders for Europe, something Benteke must help the club remind people of next season. A year older and with a year’s more experience, will anyone be able to control their powerhouse striker?

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