One of the main transfer sagas this summer has been Liverpool's public pursuit of Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke, with no-one currently truly sure of whom the Belgian will be lining up for next season.

Tim Sherwood's Villa are holding out for the £32.5m release fee in the player's contract to be met, but the Reds are determined to get their main target on a much cheaper deal.

Benteke has been the main man at Villa for several seasons now, his goals and overall physical presence are the sole reason they have survived relegation battle after relegation battle. Since his £7m move from Genk in 2012, the striker has scored an impressive 42 league goals in 82 games - a decent record for a player who spent most of his time working under the most defensive manager in football, Paul Lambert.

Should Benteke leave there will be a massive hole that needs filling and Villa face a very difficult task finding someone who can contribute to the side the way he has, but is also interested in joining a club who will most likely be involved in another relegation battle.

However there is one man who is standing out as the perfect replacement... Step forward Blackburn Rovers striker, Rudy Gestede.

Although the player has not actually been targeted by the Villains as of yet, he is being heavily linked to a Premier League move with the likes of Swansea, Norwich and Watford all interested in Benin international.

And Tim Sherwood would be mad not to get involved in the chase.

The 26-year-old has impressed at Blackburn, scoring 34 goals in 65 appearances for the club, and would certainly be interested in a move to the top flight.

The player would be suited to top flight football. When his side faced Liverpool in the FA Cup, Gestede was a complete nightmare all game for his opposing defenders and was one of the best players on the pitch.

He would reportedly be available for around £6m this summer, offering a cheap alternative to the likes of Charlie Austin - whom QPR are demanding a vast fee for.

The cheap sum would prove very beneficial, allowing extra funds to spent on other areas of the team, including the centre of midfield and defence.

The striker possesses similar characteristics to Benteke with his aerial ability and keen eye for goal the real strong points of his game. He would fit right into the tactics Villa currently use, allowing the side to continue to play direct football up to Gestede for him to bring other players into the game or carve out chances for himself.

Whoever steps into the void, the club will have a difficult task ahead of them. But Rudy Gestede certainly has all the necessary skills and, at a fraction of Benteke's price, certainly offers a value option.