Christian Benteke agrees Aston Villa extension, so much for Chelsea's interest

Another striker that Chelsea had been linked to can effectively be crossed off of our shopping list, further reinforcing the belief that it's going to be Wayne Rooney or nobody. Christian Benteke never seemed like a player that Aston Villa would have much motivation to sell anyway, and today agreed to an extension that will ensure he's with the Birmingham club for at least another season.

Here's what Benteke had to say about the situation, just days after handing in a transfer request:

"I spoke with the Manager when I returned to training and we had a good talk. I am very happy to be back here in Birmingham and at Aston Villa, and to sign a new contract. This is a great Club and it has given me a lot. Now I have to give back to my teammates and the fans who have always been right behind me. The end of last season was very good and the lads were very strong. It was not easy but we came through it and the confidence is high. So everyone knows what we have to do now - be better. I need to be better than last year."

As far as I can tell Benteke was never a real target for the Blues, despite the claims of some journalists out there to the contrary. Frankly, he probably wasn't the best fit at Chelsea anyway, and his departure from the market is more of a blow to Tottenham Hotspur that it is to the Blues.