Agent: Benteke not thinking about leaving Villa

Every season, when the Premier League campaign begins to wind down, transfer rumors start to flow. Aston Villa have already been linked with a few players, which is always exciting. However, the summer's most important task might be hanging on to Christian Benteke. Every transfer window, it's almost inevitable that Benteke will be linked with other clubs. First, it was Tottenham Hotspur. This year, it's Liverpool and Manchester United who are being linked with the beast from Belgium.

However, Benteke's agent, Eris Kismet, has recently put those rumors to rest, saying that Benteke is fully focused on fighting for survival with Aston Villa. "At the moment, there is no interest," said Kismet. "Every player and staff member is concentrated on avoiding relegation, anything else is just a distraction. I know everyone wants the same thing because I watch the games and I think Aston Villa are playing the best football in England right now."This statement from Benteke's agent echoes an earlier interview Kismet gave during the January transfer window. "I can say that there's nothing going to be happening with Christian in January," said Kismet.

Benteke handed in a transfer request to the club during the summer of 2013, and even though he signed a 4-year contract just weeks later, there is always a chance that a big club will give him an offer he (or Villa) simply can't refuse. Liverpool are rumored to be ready to offer around 30 million pounds for the striker, or some combination of Rickie Lambert-plus-money deal. Manchester United have also been considering a 25 million pound move for Benteke. However, since signing the new contract and committing his future to Villa, Benteke has proven extremely loyal to the club, which is evident with both his performances on the field and his words off of it.

It's no surprise that rumors are swirling around Benteke once again. He has recently come into great form with the arrival of Tim Sherwood, and is showing no signs of slowing down. He would no doubt provide a boost for some of the clubs higher up the table. However, Benteke is a crucial part of this Villa team, and his goals are a huge reason for the club's recent turnaround in form. It's good to see that he isn't letting these rumors become a distraction from the ongoing fight for survival.