Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has revealed that Christian Benteke is closing in on a return from injury.

The Belgian international has been out since April after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon.

"Christian's not too far away," The Mirror quotes Lambert as saying. "He has been training for a couple of weeks and there has been no reaction. Everyone in the team will be grateful when he is back and what he hands us is an attacking force.

"He's one of the best No.9s I've seen. And I played with three of the best strikers in the world in Karl-Heinz Riedle, Henrik Larsson and Stephane Chapuisat. He's certainly up there and a lot younger than the lads I played with.

"If Christian can have the career that those guys had, he'll be doing well for himself. He's only 23 and has got a long way to go. He's got a chance if he keeps at it."

Benteke has scored 34 goals in 67 appearances for Villa.