Villa record signing rumoured to be gaining suitors

Just about a month ago, Paul Lambert made it clear that thanks to Aston Villa's current austerity measures, Darren Bent would be welcomed back from the "bomb squad" to the first team. Preseason camp opens a week from today, and Bent may not be joining the club after all.

Apparently Villa's record signing is attracting interest from the Turkish Super League clubs Trabzonspor and Fenerbahce. Both teams are looking to augment their strikeforces, and have reportedly been in contact with Bent's agent. The price quoted by Villa was a paltry £4.4 million, which pales in comparison to the £24 million the club paid for him. But as we've said before, that cost should be thought of as a sunk one, and Villa should take whatever they can get and consider it profit.

But this isn't exactly like before. Christian Benteke is injured until at least October, Libor Kozak hasn't played in a match in months, and VIlla's attack was anemic at its best last season. Bent is no longer a world-beater, but his presence in the front could have helped the team at least a little. I wouldn't be entirely upset by a move, but I've got more reservations about one now than I have at any other point. The real question here is whether or not the money from a sale of Bent would be given back to Lambert for more summer moves. If so, sell away. If not, I'm not sure this is a move that needs to be made.