There are a few things guaranteed in life, inevitable instances extending beyond the cliched death, taxes and Arsenal finishing fourth. These include Liverpool's propensity to balls up their transfers. Regardless of who the identity of the manager or owners, Liverpool's transfer policy in the Premier League has invariably held them back in their nigh-existential pursuit of a Premier League title.
This is not to say they have not signed some brilliant players - this would be an absurd claim - the reality is that Kenny Dalglish signed Luis Suarez and had him vainly playing one-twos with Stewart Downing.
Liverpool's shadowy Transfer Committee have been among the most criticised administrative bodies in England over the last few years - which is saying something - and not without some merit: ending up in a situation where Mario Balotelli was the club's replacement for Luis Suarez was a disaster, but perhaps today is the day they began clawing back some credit.
Having wasted the Suarez money on a number of different players, many of whom -Emre Can and possibly Dejan Lovren excepted - proved to be flops, the committee agreed to give full control to Brendan Rodgers. As proof of how befuddled Rodgers had become by the end of his Liverpool reign, he splurged £32.5 million on Christian Benteke, despite the fact he began the job by selling the equally stationary Andy Carroll as he did not fit his style of play.
Unsurprisingly, Benteke did not fit Rodgers' style of play, and nor has he proved a good fit for Jurgen Klopp's gegenpressing, meaning his departure this summer has been an inevitability for some time.
To be fair to Benteke - while it was difficult to watch him shamble around at times - he scored some vital goals for Liverpool last season, including winners against Crystal Palace, Sunderland and Bournemouth. On the whole, however, his contribution came nowhere near justifying his hefty price tag.
Liverpool now look set to sell Benteke to Palace for £31.5 million, recouping all but one million of their initial outlay. Palace are expected to pay 27 million up front, with the rest of the fee being made up in add-ons.
For his obvious talents, Liverpool not being held to ransom on a player they are clearly desperate to get rid of is good business.
In further good news for Liverpool, to allow space for Benteke in the squad, Palace have sold Chief Tormentor of Liverpool Dreams Dwight Gayle to Newcastle.
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