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PAUL Lambert has tipped Christian Benteke to come back “stronger than ever” after confirming the star striker is out for at least six months.

Benteke tore his Achilles tendon in training at Bodymoor Heath on Thursday and will miss the rest of the season and the World Cup with Belgium.

“It’s a terrible blow both for Christian and for the club,” said Lambert.

“He will miss the rest of the season, obviously, and also the World Cup. But he’ll work hard because that’s what he does and he’ll come back for us stronger than ever next season.”

The Belgium battering ram has struggled to recapture his goal scoring form from his stunning debut campaign but he is still Villa's top scorer this season with 11 goals.

The Villa manager also expressed his sympathy that the 23-year-old Belgian frontman will miss the World Cup finals in Brazil this summer.

“It’s a terrible blow both for Christian and for the club,” said Lambert. “He will miss the rest of the season, obviously, and also the World Cup. But he’ll work hard because that’s what he does and he’ll come back for us stronger than ever next season.”

Benteke underwent a scan on his heel yesterday evening after becoming the third of Lambert’s big money signings to suffer a serious injury.

Jores Okore ruptured his cruciate ligament in September just four games into his claret and blue career, while Libor Kozak’s season was ended by a broken leg sustained in training in early January.

Charles N’Zogbia has also been sidelined for the season so far and is unlikely to return to action during the current campaign after suffering an Achilles rupture of his own last summer.

Speaking about N’Zogbia’s last month, Lambert suggested a ruptured Achilles is among the worst injuries in football and can be harder to recover from than a broken leg.

Ironically, Benteke’s long lay-off comes at a time when Lambert has confirmed record signing Darren Bent will never play for Villa again.

Bent, who is ineligible to play for Fulham at Villa Park tomorrow under the terms of his loan, will return to Villa in pre-season.

But, as if it needed stating, Lambert has dropped his strongest hint yet that the former England striker’s Villa career is over.

Asked if the £24m signing will be part of his plans during the final year of his contract next season, Lambert replied: “No, the club’s moved on. Darren has not really played for me for two years. Obviously he’s been on loan at Fulham, here we’ve had Christian’s form and that’s football. Whatever happens at the end of the season will happen.”

Lambert confirmed Fulham did not have an option-to-buy built into Bent’s season-long loan.

“No, he comes back. If they want to buy Darren it’s an avenue they can go through.”

Bent, Shay Given and Alan Hutton’s futures will be on the agenda when Lambert meets chairman Randy Lerner to discuss his playing budget this summer.

Bent and Hutton have a year left on their contracts, while Given has two years remaining, even though the trio of top earners are surplus to requirements.

“I think the money and the wages will be a conversation I have with Randy at the end,” added Lambert.

“When it’s all finished I’m pretty sure him and I will sit down somewhere and discuss what’s going to happen.”