Friday 19 August 2016 10:56, UK
Alan Pardew has revealed he wanted to sign Christian Benteke when he was at Newcastle, with the striker set for his Crystal Palace medical on Friday.
Palace have agreed a £32m fee with Liverpool for the Belgian, according to Sky sources, with Pardew also revealing that personal terms still have to be agreed with the player.
It is understood Palace are prepared to pay an initial £27m plus £5m in add-ons for the former Aston Villa man, with Pardew keen to add to his squad following the departures of Yannick Bolasie to Everton and Mile Jedinak to Aston Villa.
"He'll have his medical today but personal terms have to be done. We've agreed everything with Liverpool," Pardew said.
"We've lost Mile and Yannick - both big figures at this club. We need to replace them with others.
"Benteke is someone I know very well as I wanted to take him to Newcastle. It just didn't work out for him at Liverpool."
Pardew also said that he tried to persuade Bolasie to stay at Selhurst Park but had to accept that the player wanted a move to Everton for a new challenge.
"I asked him if there was anything I could do to keep him at the club but he said no," Pardew said.
"Yannick wanted a new concept and project. That happens with players and you have to understand that but you have to replace them."
Pardew takes his Palace side to White Hart Lane on Saturday to face Tottenham after a disappointing opening day defeat to West Brom last weekend.
The Eagles boss is also expecting to welcome back some players missing from that Premier League loss, with Yohan Cabaye, Jordon Mutch and James McArthur all expected to travel with the squad.
"Our fans after the West Brom game were disappointed but it won't be more of the same. That's why we're making changes," he said. "I'm making changes to make our form better, results more consistent. This group are great and should get a lift by a signing.
"The easy thing to do at the end of last season was find excuses but I've made changes in everything we do to try and take us forward.
"Tottenham at home isn't an ideal away game for our first so we'll have to be at our best. The way Tottenham play we have to be very good defensively, but luckily we can do that."
