Darren Bent

[Brend'Watkins]

I can't see why some can't see us getting decent money for Bent.

There's plenty of teams with money in the Prem who need a proven goalscorer.  Bent is the only one seemingly available, let them out bid each other.

[silhillvilla]

January is the time to sell as clubs panic and pay silly premiums ?

[N'ZMAV]

Lambert could be setting up for one hell of a fall with this. He must have a lot of faith in Benteke. Which, is understandable. It's Gabby I'm worried about. If Benteke gets injured after Bent leves then we're fucked.

what if he has a replacement for Bent that will actually be able to contribute?

Then he is doing his job properly.

[Eugene Fraxby]

I can't see why some can't see us getting decent money for Bent.

There's plenty of teams with money in the Prem who need a proven goalscorer.  Bent is the only one seemingly available, let them out bid each other.

Hope you're right. But going through the PL I'm not so sure:

Manc clubs, Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs? No.
Liverpool. Maybe but doesn't strike me a a Rogers-style player
Fulham, Baggies? Have plenty of forwards.
Everton? No money
Norwich, Wigan, Swansea? Doubt they have the funds/not their style to spend big anyway
West Ham, Stoke, Newcastle? Dosen't fit a 'direct' style
Sunderland? Ha!
Reading, Southampton? Perhaps
QPR? Yeah, can see that

[not3bad]

An apology to Aston Villa:

http://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/aston-villa/an-apology-to-aston-villa-football-club

[themossman]

Yeah I'm not sure either. That argument applied equally when we bought him but no one was interested in coming to the table then.

[adrenachrome]

An apology to Aston Villa:

http://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/aston-villa/an-apology-to-aston-villa-football-club

Still on the ESPN site, but seems to have been removed everywhere else.

Villa want £18m for Bent
December 6, 2012

   Ian Edwards

 Paul Lambert is ready to sell Darren Bent in the January transfer window - but Aston Villa will demand £18 million in a bid to recover most of the money they paid Sunderland for the England striker.

Bent has been out of Lambert’s plans for most of the season and owner Randy Lerner appears ready to sanction the sale of the 29-year-old next month in a bid to bring a conclusion to the stand-off between the pair.

Villa made Sunderland an initial £18 million down payment on the striker in January 2011 and are understood to have paid a further £3 million in add-ons, with another £3 million payment still outstanding on the deal.

It was initially thought Villa would be prepared to listen to offers of around £10 million for Bent, but ESPN sources have confirmed the club are determined to recoup most of the original £18 million fee, which could leave Bent in limbo at Villa Park.

“Villa would be willing to sell, but they are not prepared to do any kind of cheap deal,” the source said. “The figure they have in mind is the £18 million they paid for the player.”

Villa received a number of tentative enquiries for Bent in the summer, believed to be from Liverpool and Queens Park Rangers, but there were no formal offers.

New QPR manager Harry Redknapp has made no secret of his admiration for the player, who has a scoring record of a goal almost every two games in the Premier League, but the Hoops are unlikely to be able to meet Villa’s valuation.

Bent remains out of favour under Lambert, with the Scot preferring to operate with £7 million summer signing Christian Benteke. Bent was left out of Villa’s four previous squads before returning to the bench for last weekend’s draw with QPR at Loftus Road.

[Ron Manager]

I can't see why some can't see us getting decent money for Bent.

There's plenty of teams with money in the Prem who need a proven goalscorer.  Bent is the only one seemingly available, let them out bid each other.

Villa need a proven scorer perhaps we should bid for him!

[Dante Lavelli]

West Ham, Stoke, Newcastle? Dosen't fit a 'direct' style

Who Bent?  I'd say he absolutely suits a direct style.  It what he thrived under with Sunderland and Charlton.
Besides I think nearly everyone would agree that the weaker elements of his games are his linking and involved in general play rather than the smash, bang, wallop of putting chances away.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I can only see him going to Newcastle as a replacement for Ba.

[Salsa Party Animal]

Is there any big European club need a quality striker and we could do a deal with them for 2 quality players and maybe small fee for Bent. Such as Valencia or Dortsmund or Seville for example.

[pauliewalnuts]

Crikey

Chasing web sites around for posting transfer gossip that isn't true? That's a great big can of worms to open.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Lambert is sending out a clear message that he believes Bent is not good enough for our below par side, yet it's believed he wants £18m for him. Confusing.

[danlanza]

I can't see why some can't see us getting decent money for Bent.

There's plenty of teams with money in the Prem who need a proven goalscorer.  Bent is the only one seemingly available, let them out bid each other.

Villa need a proven scorer perhaps we should bid for him!

100 % agree.

[Dan England]

Lambert is sending out a clear message that he believes Bent is not good enough for our below par side, yet it's believed he wants £18m for him. Confusing.

Not quite though. The article says the club want £18m for him not Lambert. I reckon (pure speculation) that Lambert would happily let him go for £10-12m if he was allowed all the funds.