According to reports in the Daily Mail on April 18, Crystal Palace are ready to sell £120,000-a-week striker Christian Benteke this summer after manager Roy Hodgson has grown frustrated with the Belgium international.

It has been a tough campaign for the Eagles and the 27-year-old centre-forward, who is the south London outfit's club-record signing.

The 6ft 3in man had only scored two Premier League goals in 27 top flight appearances prior to the clash against Watford on Saturday, and it is no secret that he is out of favour under the former England boss given he was only handed a place on the substitutes' bench against Brighton last weekend, with wingers Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend preferred to him up top in the starting XI.

Meanwhile, Newcastle United can start making plans for next season in the Premier League having surpassed the magic 40-point mark after they beat Arsenal 2-1 at St James’ Park on Sunday.

Manager Rafa Benitez will hope that he will be backed in the transfer market by owner Mike Ashley – or any prospective new buyer for the club – during the summer window, and he will be keen to add some quality and experience to his squad to ensure that they can now become an established top flight team and try and consistently finish in the top half.

The Spaniard may prioritise attacking positions given his side has just 35 goals in 33 Premier League matches, and Benteke is certainly a player who must be on the Tyneside outfit's radar.

Here are three reasons Newcastle must sign the Crystal Palace striker…

With Islam Slimani only on loan from Leicester City and Aleksandar Mitrovic surely on his way out of St James' Park – Magpies fans on Twitter don't want him despite his fine goalscoring form for Fulham – this summer, Newcastle will be left with Dwight Gayle as their only striker if they fail to do a permanent deal for the former.

It is clear that the Magpies need to bring in a striker at the end of the season whatever happens, and Benteke could be the perfect option as he looks to prove himself in the Premier League again following a largely disappointing spell with Crystal Palace.

Benteke may have struggled for goals and confidence with Crystal Palace this season, but he has proved over the years that he is a more than capable striker at this level with the likes of Aston Villa and Liverpool.

The 27-year-old scored 68 goals in 181 Premier League matches prior to his side's match against Watford on Saturday – a record that is better than one-in-three – and a centre-forward with a decent goalscoring record is exactly what Newcastle need to push on to next level given they have struggled in the final third on occasions this term.

There is no doubt that Benteke is a confidence player, but when he is confident he has shown what a threat he can be at this level.

Despite his height, he is more than handy with the ball at his feet but it his physical presence in particular that means he can be a real thorn in the side of opposition defenders.

The big Belgian is known for his strength in the air, and according to WhoScored.com he has won 236 of the 415 aerial duels he has faced for Palace this season in the Premier League, prior to their clash against Watford.

Do you agree, Magpies fans? Let us know below.