should we really be spending £24million on one player??

[El Hurricane]

Harry struck lucky with Van de Vaart at £8m.At the moment all the talk is about Bent's price,but let's see what other clubs pay for players,don't forget Liverpool paid £20m for Robbie Keane not so long back.We're getting Bent in the prime of his career.

[Concrete John]

I do wish we could hack into Harry's top secret address book of agents, though - £18m plus in a season when Van de Vaart cost £7m is absolutely crazy.

Not sure of VDV's exact circumstances, as in length of contract remaining, when Spurs signed him, but he's the sort of signing you need CL football for, so never an option for us.

[Merv]

Whether it actually ends up being £24m - it's probably all tied up in add-ons that include us getting into the Champions League, Bent scoring a certain amount of goals, etc so in effect the add-ons pay for themselves if triggered - is in doubt. But I'd say yes, it's worth going the extra few million to get someone who could well be the real deal. As others have said, we could spend the same on a few players; we could get Kevin Doyle for £8m, Robbie Keane for £6m but combined they perhaps wouldn't score as many as Bent can.

We've always shied away from this kind of signing before. Why not go for it?

[Mazrim]

Bent would eventually cost Sunderland £16m by all accounts. As if you can get a top goal scorer for £10m-£12m.
Not with his record you cant.

If you want this level of player, you have to pay. We have and its great news.
He's not a miracle worker but he'll be very very effective for us in the rawest terms.

Goals, he scores them, they win matches, wins means points, points mean prizes.
No brainer.

[levico]

£24m - all seems a bit desperate to me. May end in tears - still relegated and no money left.

[Concrete John]

£24m - all seems a bit desperate to me. May end in tears - still relegated and no money left.

Even when you've got a full class it's half empty, isn't it?

[philthebar]

I will never understand us Villa supporters – known to all my non Villa mates as the most negative supporters in the land.

We moan that not enough money is being spent – then when we try to spend some up comes the ‘is it too much’  thread

We moan at MON’s philosophy of buying mediocre bench (if they are lucky) warmers, then question buying some class with statements like we could buy 3 or 4 players for that.

OK, I am not advocating we go down the Man City route, but we need to spend in order to improve.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

£24m - all seems a bit desperate to me. May end in tears - still relegated and no money left.

Bullshit.
If we sign Bent, our safety is assured.

[WikiVilla]

Firstly, it's £18m not £24m

secondly, if Bent gets the goals that keep us in the Prem for the next 3 to 4 years he'll be worth every penny

Great signing, great bit of business, we've needed a top class striker for over a decade

[WikiVilla]

£24m - all seems a bit desperate to me. May end in tears - still relegated and no money left.

Incredibly negative post, what is your problem

[Simba]

£24m - all seems a bit desperate to me. May end in tears - still relegated and no money left.

Blimey. Cheer up mate.  I think you would have to admit that we have a better chance of staying up with the third most prolific striker in the prem, over some years. AND DB was not playing with top players around him like Drogba or Rooney.

Furthermore if we did go down and had bought mediocre players instead we would be quick to have a go at GH and RL wouldn't we? Ambition anyone?

[El Hurricane]

£24m - all seems a bit desperate to me. May end in tears - still relegated and no money left.

Most negative post ever,can't you get on the wave of optimism?

[olaftab]

Yes we should and we must stop buying limited players. Only buy quality from now on.

[sfx412]

Damned if we do damned if we don't.

Crazy.

[Mazrim]

£24m - all seems a bit desperate to me. May end in tears - still relegated and no money left.

Bollocks!

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