Liverpool will pay Aston Villa's £32.5million asking price for Belgian international Christian Benteke, according to reports from express.co.uk.

The signing will take Liverpool's total spending for the summer beyond £80million, with Benteke joining Roberto Firmino, James Milner, Danny Ings, Joe Gomez, Adam Bogdan and Nathaniel Clyne in making the move to Merseyside this off-season.

Despite reported interest from North London clubs Arsenal and Tottenham, Benteke is understood to have favoured a switch to Anfield, with Liverpool willing to match the hefty buy-out clause in his contract.

The 24-year-old striker has scored 42 goals in 89 Premier League appearances for Aston Villa.