By Darren Lewis | 15/05/13
Darren Bent is ready to spark a stampede for his signature this summer by quitting Aston Villa.
The 29-year-old marksman, who has started just SEVEN Premier League games this season, has had enough of being frozen out.
Stoke were keen in January while Swansea, West Ham, Cardiff and Newcastle - all of whom will be looking to improve up front ahead of next season - will be interested.
Bent, who burst onto the England scene after scoring goals at Charlton, Spurs and Sunderland, said: "I'm going to have to take a long, hard look at it. My situation.
"It's no secret. I need to play football, I need to play games.
"I've enjoyed my time at Aston Villa and loved every minute of it. I've obviously got a good relationship with the fans and the football club.
"But it is about playing games and, at my age, I can't have another season like the one that I've had because time is running out.
"I've got two years after this one so I've still got a long time. But for me it's all about playing football matches and I'm not really one of these guys who wants to sit there, not do anything and then get paid.
"I want to play football. I want to contribute and enjoy playing. I won't ask to go but at the same time I have to sit down with the manager, the chairman and my agent and just go from there."
Boss Paul Lambert has preferred classy Christian Benteke, who has hit 19 League goals since signing for Villa for £7million last summer.
The Belgian's season is over, however, following a red card in the club's 2-1 defeat to Chelsea on Saturday. And even after Villa fell behind to Frank Lampard's double in that match, Lambert left Bent in the dug out.
It was particularly frustrating for the striker who believes there have been several games in which he could have come on and made a difference this season.
He added: "Every game you don't play in hurts that little bit more. It hurts when you're on the bench and come on - you're still hurting because you want to start.
"But it's nowhere near as bad as when you're sitting on the bench and you don't come on at all. That does hurt.
"I've not gone to see [the manager]. It's been a difficult situation, fighting relegation. The last thing I want to do is go in, kicking and screaming and stuff.
"We're all one team at the end of the day and it's not about one individual. But when it's the right time to talk about things, I'm sure I'll do that."
If Bent is not drafted in as a replacement for Sunday's game against Wigan - a match Villa have to win to guarantee safety - the decision will tell him a great deal about where he stands.
He went on: "I thought maybe I would have come on when [Benteke] was sent off but it wasn't meant to be.
"If I can get the nod [for next week] then hopefully it will be nice to play a part again.
" I'm working hard every day in training and I've been doing extra sessions in the gym and stuff. So if I'm called upon, yeah, I'm ready to go.
"All you can keep doing is training hard and if you get an opportunity take it."
Bent believed he would be forming a formidable partnership WITH Benteke once the Belgian found his feet in English football.
He said: "Yeah. At one stage I thought that. He was a big guy and it looked as if the partnership would form.
"But it's not meant to be. I don't quite know why it's not happened but for that question I guess, for that question, you're asking the wrong person really.
Update
