Roy Hodgson has suggested that it is ludicrous that Crystal Palace would consider loaning out Christian Benteke to France in the January transfer window.
The Palace striker has been strongly linked with a move away from south London, with Aston Villa and French side Bordeaux among the potential suitors for the Belgian.
Villa are looking to strengthen their attacking options as they continue to battle to avoid relegation, and Benteke had a good spell at Villa Park prior to a move to Liverpool in 2015, scoring 49 goals in 101 appearances.
Bordeaux have also been linked this week with a loan move for Benteke, but Hodgson has delivered an emphatic response when asked about the 29-year-old's future.
"I can’t believe I am being asked the question," he said.
"I can’t believe someone is going to suggest - when we have very few forwards anyway - that we are considering loaning out a player who we are badly missing because he has been out injured, and that we as a football club, or I as a coach, are seriously considering loaning out what is potentially one of our best players to a club in France.
"I find it hard to believe. When I ask a question I sometimes wonder if it is worth asking, because I know the answer, but we have to answer these questions.
"It is not quite as ludicrous as Wilf Zaha being loaned to Bayern Munich, but it is about ten per cent less ludicrous than that."
