Darren Bent is currently or has in fact had his medical at Fulham. This was confirmed in the morning by Palace boss Holloway, he had admitted that he expect Bent to join Palace, however on Thursday morning he announced that he was in fact heading to Craven Cottage. This made Jol very unhappy that Holloway simply ‘announced’ that Bent was close to joining Fulham. Even Paul Lambert has commented on Bent’s transfer to Fulham.
“He’s just away down to Fulham,” said Lambert. “I think it’s well-documented now that he’s down there having a medical and that’s the last I’ve heard.”
“There’s never (been a spat),” he said. “Not one cross word. I don’t know where people get that from. There’s never been a cross word. That’s football.”
The only un-known thing is what sort of detail. Some reports claim that Bent is set to join Fulham on a season-long loan, and some believed that Bent would be heading to Fulham for a £5 million bid. But the deal is rumoured and most likely a season-long loan with a view of a permanent deal.
Bent did what he was brought in to do but then the club changed direction and the new manager had different playing ideas.
He has to go and he does so with my blessing, think we vastly overpaid but that is a lesson for failing to scout.
What I would say is that some of the players linked to replace him (Wijnaldum and Vihena) is that we need both of these players and a centre half.
Should of held out to see if they got a buyer. That way the could afford to buy somone to replace him. And wijnaldum won’t come to villa. Arsenal are showing interest in him.
Villa can afford to replace him. Now there’s another spot in the team which we didn’t have with Bent who was always going to be named if he stayed, and freed wages.
We would be very foolish and small minded if we bought another young player, who may well be the attacking midfielder that we are clearly desperate for but we need a player to sit in front of the back 4 and we need that player now.
If not Kouyate then the brilliant Vihena is what we need.
I don’t want to bankrupt the club but surely we can find around £15m to buy these 2 players.
Agree again ken like yourself I don’t want Lerner spending £50m on one player but as you say circa £15m for one or two half decent players is not asking much especially saving over 250k a week in wages and 90 m sky money. Prices that Lerner is just doing this on the cheap hoping to keep us up on a shoe string. But I know I will get slated for saying that.
Cant help thinking this is a poor move from Fulham. Chances are he will bang in the goals and therefore his value will come back up to what it should be. In that case, he is still a Villa player and we can up his price. They should have paid the 6m and been done with it.