Stop the press: the transfer window just got interesting. Aston Villa are reported to have agreed an £18 million (€21.5 million) fee with Sunderland for the transfer of England striker Darren Bent.
The news will come as a shock to Sunderland fans, who have taken Bent to their hearts since the 26-year old moved to the Black Cats in the summer of 2009. Bent has scored a remarkable 32 goals in 58 league appearances for Steve Bruce’s side in the last season and a half.
Bent is has handed in a transfer request at the Stadium of Light after a run of form which has seen him find the net twice in the last nine matches.
A statement on Sunderland’s official website on the matter simply read: “The club can confirm that it received a written transfer request from Darren Bent following yesterday’s Wear-Tyne derby match.”
Despite Bent’s profligacy in front of goal, Sunderland have flourished and currently lie in sixth place in the Premier League table, nine points behind leaders Manchester United.
Aston Villa are badly in need of a striker of Bent’s calibre, having only managed 24 goals in the league this season. Their lack of firepower has seen them drop to 17th in the league, only one place adrift of the relegation zone.
Should Villa secure Bent’s signing, they will have a proven goalscorer on their hands. Bent has hit the net consistently for Ipswich, Charlton, Spurs and Sunderland and scored his first goal for England in the Euro 2012 qualifier against Switzerland in September.
