Christian Benteke’s move to Crystal Palace will be announced on Saturday with Alan Pardew having praised the board for the “brave” decision to sanction the club-record £27m signing of the Belgium international.

The 25-year-old striker will leave Liverpool after only 12 months, following a £32.5m switch from Aston Villa last summer, with his arrival at Palace serving to appease fans disillusioned by the departures of Yannick Bolasie and Mile Jedinak this week. Pardew, whose side lost their opening game1-0 at home to West Bromwich Albion last weekend, was conscious of the need to lift the mood after the sale of that pair to Everton and Villa respectively.

Palace’s interest in Benteke, first mooted in January, had crystallised in early July but it took six weeks of negotiations to strike a deal that could rise to £32m. “It’s still subject to medical and personal terms but in terms of the agreement with Liverpool, finally we seem to have got him,” Pardew said. “I think it’s important when you’ve lost iconic players to try to replace them with iconic players.

“We’ve lost two this week in Mile Jedinak and Yannick Bolasie. They have both been massive figures in this club and we need to replace them with big figures. That’s something that didn’t always happen at Newcastle [when I was the manager], unfortunately.

“I’m pleased the board have been brave with this move. I thank them that we got it this far, although it’s not complete. Benteke has a great pedigree. He’s someone I know very well because I wanted to take him to Newcastle. I thought he’d be a fantastic fit for that club.

“He got the move to Liverpool and it hasn’t quite worked out. For us, we need to get him back to doing what he does best. His style of play, the way he feeds off crosses … we’re the top crossing team in the Premier League bar one, I think, so he’ll enjoy that with the wide players we have. But he’s not our player yet.”

Although Benteke ended last season with a slight knee problem, the fact Liverpool’s players are examined when they return to pre-season training suggests the medical will not throw up unexpected issues. Likewise personal terms are not thought to be a problem for a player who commanded wages of about £120,000 a week at Anfield.

Benteke will not be considered for selection in Saturday’s game at Tottenham Hotspur but is likely to make his debut in Tuesday’s League Cup tie against Blackpool at Selhurst Park, where James McArthur, James Tomkins and Steve Mandanda are also expected to play.

Palace are still seeking to add another striker to their ranks, with interest maintained in Chelsea’s Loïc Rémy. The France international, who played for Pardew at Newcastle, is available for £9m or on a 12-month loan with a fee of £3m. Pardew will also seek a replacement for Bolasie out wide and still aspires to secure Moussa Sissoko from Newcastle.

The Palace manager confirmed he had tried to persuade Bolasie to remain at the club, only for the DR Congo international to push to complete a £25m move to Everton. “Bolasie leaving wasn’t something I had planned because, of course, he would have been very much involved in the first team here,” he said. “When it got down to the end I asked him if there was anything we can do to keep him at the club. His response was ‘no’. He had made his mind up and I think with somebody like him, where he plays with his heart and soul, he needed to go.

“Again, I’ve worked hard with Bolasie in terms of technical parts of his game and I think he’s improved, so I think it’s a shame for that work to now be enjoyed by Everton. But they got him and we now look for a team that can score more goals and control the game better. That’s what we’re going to try to evolve to.

“I asked him if there was anything we could do, to sit down with him [and talk about a new contract], but it wasn’t really for him. He wanted a new concept and a new project. You have to accept that with players. It’s difficult for the fans: they buy the shirt, they love the players. I had it at Newcastle. But, like all great players, there comes a time when the circumstances are that they move on. But you have to replace them. That’s what we’re trying to do.”

The £4m sale of Jedinak, the 32-year-old Australia captain, was justified as part of Pardew’s attempts to change the style of Palace’s play. “He was our captain and a warrior of the highest order, somebody that will be a great signing for Aston Villa,” he added. “He was captain of this team but I felt it was time for a change. Probably that change was going to affect his playing time here and he needs to play. He’s not a sub. He’s not a squad player. He will go and lead Aston Villa, I hope lead them to promotion.

“After our last game against West Brom the fans were disappointed. I had one saying to me, ‘More of the same, Alan’ as I walked off the pitch. But it won’t be more of the same. That’s the reason we’re making changes.

“The back-end of last year, the second half of last season was not good enough for me or my staff. So I’ve changed various things at the football club and I’m making changes to try to take this club to a place where our home form is better, where results are more consistent, as well as our performances. This group of players are a great group to work with. I think they will get a lift, hopefully, by a new signing or two in the next few days.”