You'll have plenty to celebrate when you subscribe to the Liverpool FC newsletter Sign me up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Jurgen Klopp is adamant Christian Benteke has a long-term future at Liverpool FC as he hailed the Belgian as “the complete striker”.

Despite being the club’s leading goalscorer with seven goals in 24 appearances this season, Benteke has struggled for form and a regular starting place since Klopp replaced Brendan Rodgers as Reds boss in October.

The £32.5million man was benched for the recent home Premier League games against Arsenal and Manchester United.

Instead, Benteke is expected to once again line up alongside fringe players and youngsters in Wednesday’s FA Cup third round replay against Exeter City at Anfield.

Klopp, though, believes the 25-year-old can still forge a career under his tutelage.

“Of course he has a future, that is not a question,” said the Reds boss.

“You are too quick in your judgements. If I would work like this I would send players who miss chances to the next club or whatever. Stay cool.

“What we have to do is think what team fits together for the special game. For the next game it could be different.

“We have to think about how we create chances. First of all we cannot hope that we can get the ball into the box and then maybe Christian will finish it.

“He is a goalscorer and makes chances and so on, that is all good.

“This is how it works, we make a starting line-up and it ends at 11 then we make the bench. That is how we did it in the past, now we will do it in the future. He has always the possibility to play.”









'He is a complete striker'

Klopp added: “I understand we don’t score enough goals and you ask about the striker, the only striker in your mind we have.

“He is on the bench and that seems to be strange but not in my opinion. As long as I have some influence in the starting line-up then I would like to use this influence.”

Klopp confirmed Benteke was among several transfer targets he met while Borussia Dortmund manager in the summer of 2013, having been impressed by the striker’s debut season at Aston Villa.

“I met him, plus his agent at Dusseldorf airport,” said the German. “I don’t know the number of the room!

“I had a lot of meetings with players to be honest and not all these players became my players after this for a lot reasons.

“We saw a lot of games he played in, saving the ball, technical skills, of course the heading but not only that, finishing skills, all this stuff.

“From all those things he is a complete striker but at the end you have to work for it.

“He didn’t finish development and we as a team didn’t so we are always on the way.”

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

'To have Christian on the bench is a quality sign'

Benteke has regularly been among the substitutes for games against high-profile opposition, with Klopp instead preferring to utilise ‘false nine’ Roberto Firmino.

Klopp admits a previous experiment pairing the duo failed to spark – most notably the defeats at Newcastle United and West Ham United – and accepts Benteke has found it difficult coming in to save games.

“You have to look how it fits,” said Klopp. “For example we had our games with Roberto and Christian at No 10 and No 9, it did not work in this moment but that does not mean we can never play like this.

“In this moment it doesn’t fit too well so we have to think about how to make it easier for the players to bring in their skills.

“To have Christian on the bench is a quality sign and to bring him in with his qualities in a close game.

“I would like to bring him in with us 2-0 in the lead to make it 3 or 4-0 but now it was twice we are not in the lead, it was the complete opposite situation.

“That is not the best situation, it is always a rush in that situation.”