Premier League strugglers could lose hot-shot striker to top four

After an impressive debut season in the Premier League, it is little wonder that clubs are circling Aston Villa's Christian Benteke. The Birmingham club are hoping that Premier League survival will be enough to entice the Belgian to stay on at Villa Park next season, the Daily Mail reports. 

The player has, if reports are to be believed, agreed to remain at Villa if they maintain their Premier League status. Should that objective fail the 22-year-old is supposedly the subject of interest from Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham.

Should bids come in from any of the above Villa would find it difficult to keep their hands on their man, who has 19 goals in all competitions since arriving in the West Midlands last summer. 

The £7 million deal that took Benteke to Villa saw him agree to a deal that keeps him at the club until the summer of 2016. However, boss Paul Lambert is reportedly willing to double the player's wages from £20,000 per week to £40,000, while also adding a further year to his present deal.

Doing so would represent a huge coup for Villa, who are looking to play their way out of their current plight with a young and willing crop of players.