Darren Bent

[NW_Fox]

Has asked for a transfer - apparently on the back of interest from Villa.

Bit of an odd one to me

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sunderland/9364092.stm

 

[Hazzman]

Yep, even more so considering Sunderland look good for an Euro spot. Can he smell the money?

 

[TornadoShaunUK]

£18m? I'd snap their hands off. Bent is over rated and for that money I'd be pretty confident of finding someone better...

 

[Profondo Rosso]

£18m? I'd snap their hands off. Bent is over rated and for that money I'd be pretty confident of finding someone better...

He's a proven goalscorer at the top level in average teams. It's not that easy to find players like that for a team of Sunderland's stature.

 

[4-4-2]

How can someone be overated if he delivers the goods?

He may not have done it at Spurs, but he did rather well at Ipswich, Charlton and now Sunderland. He scored 25 times for them last year and has 11 so far this year. Not bad for an overated striker.....

Having said that, he's probably not worth the £18m reportedly being offered.

 

[Profondo Rosso]

How can someone be overated if he delivers the goods?

He may not have done it at Spurs, but he did rather well at Ipswich, Charlton and now Sunderland. He scored 25 times for them last year and has 11 so far this year. Not bad for an overated striker.....

Having said that, he's probably not worth the £18m reportedly being offered.

Completely agree. He hardly failed at Spurs though. Couldn't get in the side, still has a pretty good goals to starts ratio. But yeah, prolific goalscorer in the Prem while playing in average Charlton and Sunderland sides.

 

[TornadoShaunUK]

I don't think he's that great :icon_lol: As I said, £18m is well over the odds IMO and I think they could replace him with better for that money... especially if he wants to go there's no point hanging on to him.

 

[Profondo Rosso]

I don't think he's that great :icon_lol: As I said, £18m is well over the odds IMO and I think they could replace him with better for that money... especially if he wants to go there's no point hanging on to him.

He has scored 44% of Sunderland's league goals since arriving there and since 2005 only Rooney and Drogba have more Premier League goals than him (and only by one goal, Bent has 81, Drogba and Rooney both have 82) and they both played in much better sides who are much more likely to get more opportunities. You really think a side like Sunderland can find a replacement for a player like that so easily? And why exactly do you think he's overrated? Without wanting to sound like Kevin Keegan, goals win matches and he's a prolific goal scorer at this level and for sides outside the top 5 too.

 

[Kingy_85]

It surely can't be for a move to villa? Surely?? I'd like to see him given a chance at a big four club, I don't think he'd look out of place. Chelsea could do with a few more goals at the moment?

 

[NW_Fox]

It surely can't be for a move to villa? Surely?? I'd like to see him given a chance at a big four club, I don't think he'd look out of place. Chelsea could do with a few more goals at the moment?

Could not agree more, I could only understand if he was going to a big 4 club and of those Chelsea are the only ones likely. Suspect Chelsea fans would not be too happy though and would have wanted a bigger name

 

[Han]

He'd only be temporary at a big club as he strikes me as someone who needs to be the main man. Guaranteed goals at any club outside the top 4/5 though. Liverpool might be a good bet if they can find the cash.

 

[Graz]

I'm a fan of BEnt. Think he's underrated if anything. Great scoring weekend. Bit shoeless how much but partly cos villa hadn't looked like spending. Weird move for him though. Can we have heskey now then?

 

[Redditch Fox]

Yep, even more so considering Sunderland look good for an Euro spot. Can he smell the money?

As sure as Gerard sees this as a lifeline to regain the backing of Villa supporters......seemingly at any cost. Presumably he's convinced the owner that they are at serious risk of relegation without this purchase.

 

[bocadillo]

... £18m is well over the odds

With add-ons the proposed deal is for a total of £25M

 

[drummindefender]

strange decision considering Villa very much look like a team on the downward spiral whilst Sunderland are on the up

 

[keithwellergod]

SSN Rumour Mill had report of a sighting of Heskey in Sunderland today.

 

[FryattFox]

SSN Rumour Mill had report of a sighting of Heskey in Sunderland today.

Travelling to Leicester via Sunderland. Sounds like a BM journey.

 

[Hazzman]

As sure as Gerard sees this as a lifeline to regain the backing of Villa supporters......seemingly at any cost. Presumably he's convinced the owner that they are at serious risk of relegation without this purchase.

It was more Bent's thinking I was questioning rather than Villa's. Surely playing in Europe is more of a carrot than slogging out towards the bottom half?

 

[Redditch Fox]

It was more Bent's thinking I was questioning rather than Villa's. Surely playing in Europe is more of a carrot than slogging out towards the bottom half?

More money versus playing in the Europa League covered by obscure terrestrial televison channel. I don't think Bent would need too long to reach a decision.

 

[FryattFox]

No worries...Sunderland are trying to sign an injury-prone Ricardo Fuller for £3m as a replacement, according to the BBC. :icon_eek:

I'd have genuinely thought someone like Yakubu would have been a better option for them.