Bent Deal Imminent - Ipswich Town News
Town are on the verge of receiving a £2.88 million windfall with Darren Bent's transfer from Charlton to West Ham imminent. Bent will join the Hammers for £16 million plus the £1 million-rated Hayden Mullins, with the Blues due 20% of the Addicks' profit on the fee they paid for the England striker two years ago.
Bent is set to sign a four-year deal at Upton Park, which will make him the East London club's highest paid player ever on £80,000-a-week.
The move will reunite Bent with Alan Curbishley, the man who took him from Portman Road to the Valley for a fee of £2.5 million in the summer of 2005, the Addicks subsequently paying the Blues another £100,000 after appearance clauses were triggered.
Charlton were always destined to cash in on Bent from the moment they were relegated to the Championship, with Tottenham, Liverpool, Everton, Valencia, Newcastle and Arsenal all at various times reported to be interested in buying the 23-year-old.
Town's first priority on receiving the Bent cash will be to secure the signature of Franny Jeffers. The Blues have had two bids turned down by Blackburn — the latest believed to be £500,000 plus top-ups — but Rovers have indicated that they are keen to do a deal for the former England frontman, if the price is right.
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