Derby County Sign Darren Bent On Loan From Aston Villa

Striker joins on loan until the end of the season.

Striker joins on loan until the end of the season.

Derby County have today moved to strengthen their attacking options for the second half of the 2014/15 Sky Bet Championship season with the signing of striker Darren Bent.

The 30-year-old frontman, who has 13 caps to his name for England at full international level, has joined the Rams on loan from Barclays Premier League side Aston Villa for the remainder of the campaign.

Bent will link up with his new team-mates for the first time on Monday and is set to be in line to make his Rams debut in the top-of-the-table clash against Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Saturday 10th January 2015.

Head Coach Steve McClaren said: “We are delighted to welcome Darren Bent to Derby County for the rest of the season.

“I’ve worked with him in the past and he brings significant Premier League and international experience with him.

“He adds to our already excellent attacking options. Darren has scored goals wherever he has been during his career and we believe he can contribute on the field for us.

“We’re braced for an exciting second half of the season, which is always an important stage in any campaign, and we’re got plenty of big matches coming up for everyone to look forward to – and Darren certainly brings big game experience with him.”

London-born Bent progressed through the youth ranks at Ipswich Town and, after signing professional terms, he scored 55 goals in 141 appearances for the Tractor Boys between 2001 and 2005.

As well as producing a number of eye-catching performances for his club side, Bent starred at England youth international level and broke in the Three Lions’ Under 21 set-up.

His impressive form for Ipswich prompted Charlton Athletic, then in the Premier League, to pay an initial £2.5 Million for his services in June 2005 and, after rattling home an impressive 37 goals in 79 games, he moved across London in 2007 to join Tottenham Hotspur for a then club record £16.5 Million fee.

During his time at White Hart Lane, Bent made 43 starts and a further 36 appearances off the bench, scoring 25 goals for the club in the process. His first goal for the club came in a 4-0 win over Derby in August 2007.

His next stop was Sunderland in July 2009, who paid £10 Million to secure his signature. His form for the Black Cats proved to be outstanding, as he hit the net 36 times in just 63 appearances before he departed for Aston Villa in a deal that could, potentially, increase to £24 Million.

Since moving to Villa Park, he has scored 25 times in 72 appearances, although his first-team opportunities have been limited since the arrival of Paul Lambert in the summer of 2012.

He spent the entire 2013/14 season on loan at Fulham and scored six times in 30 appearances, while he scored twice in five outings during a brief loan spell at Derby’s Championship rivals Brighton & Hove Albion during November and December 2014.

Bent was capped at a number of youth international levels for England before making his full international bow in March 2006, against Uruguay.

His first international goal came in a 3-1 European Championships Qualifier against Switzerland in September 2010 under Fabio Capello. He scored further goals against Denmark, Wales and Montenegro before making his last international appearance in November 2011 against Sweden.