Which Premier League Club Will Take A Punt On Darren Bent This Summer?

With the regular England international seeming to be on his way out of Aston Villa this summer, after seemingly to be exiled from the starting XI under Paul Lambert, who will stump up the cash for Darren Bent?

If those linked with Bent - the likes of Fulham, Crystal Palace and Newcastle - sign him, they will be getting a top quality player. Bent needs a team in which he can be the centre of focus and he may not be the archetypal striker you see in the Premier League, one who can also drop into the hole and play as a number 10 or chase down every full-back and run themselves into the ground. But Bent is amazing at playing off the shoulder, and once he’s beyond his man, the defender will struggle to catch him and there is a good chance he will score. I can’t see why he isn’t in the frame at Villa. A Darren Bent firing on all cylinders partnered with Christian Benteke in my head is lethal, Benteke will win majority of aerial duels and everyone who watches football can tell that Darren Bent can finish with ease when the ball is bouncing in the box.

I think this could potentially be what Newcastle are planning for the former Spurs man - a front three of Loic Remy, Cisse and Bent should be enough firepower to rectify their position after a poor outing last season. Or possibly Bent will be used as a substitute because Cisse is indispensable and surely wouldn’t be shifted onto the wing like they did with Demba Ba previously.

 I presume this will be the same case at Fulham, who is also linked with, but maybe a front two of Dimitar Berbatov and Bent could formulate if he does move back to London. Crystal Palace would obviously make him the spearhead of their attack and seemingly would become their centrepiece of their team, something Bent would relish. But maybe he’s too good for them? I don’t know. I hope Bent does move though, he needs to play to continue his international career and England need someone who can score goals.

Follow @ThisNeedsAGoal