Should we purchase Darren Bent at £9 million?

[Delima]

Shall we, or shall we not?

 

I think we should, even if it means budget overdraft. He is consistent, young, productive.

 

Charlton could sacrifice Bent to fund spending

 

By Andrew Sleight

Last Updated: 1:39am GMT 17/11/2006

 

Les Reed, Charlton's new head coach, yesterday said there would be changes to the playing staff in January to stave off the threat of relegation from the Premiership.

 

Reed, 53, who succeeded Iain Dowie on Tuesday, may find his hands are tied in terms of available funds and that could lead to the sale of prized asset, Darren Bent, valued in the region of £9 million.

 

The Premiership's bottom club overspent in the last transfer window – exceeding the £7.5 million budget by £4 million. Reed has yet to discuss transfer strategy with chairman Richard Murray and general manager Andrew Mills but said: "I think the club will want to help me to turn things around. I think it probably will mean wheeling and dealing.

 

"But I do think that if it means we need a bit of a boost to make things happen then I think there would be some funds available. It won't be anything like in the summer. It will mean we will need to wheel and deal in order to get the budget back on track.

 

"Obviously where players move on, other players will come in. But it will be on a needs basis and then Andrew Mills and the chairman will come up with target lists of players for my information.

 

"Nobody will sign without me approving it. But the idea is that I identify the needs and they do the legwork. Then, having done the legwork, they make it happen."

 

Reed vowed to adhere to the formula that led to Charlton evolving from a homeless club in English football's second tier to becoming a potent force in the Premiership. He added: "I think what the supporters will want to see is points. They expect and like to see good football. They expect to see young players introduced into the team and when I was here before that was the format we worked on. They will see, over a period of time, young players being given an opportunity and they will see the team play football."

 

Alan Pardew has told West Ham supporters that potential owner Eggert Magnusson would be a breath of fresh air for the club and he is confident the east London side will move on to another level when the takeover is finally completed.

 

Magnusson, the Icelandic businessman who is the rival bidder to Kia Joorabchian, met Pardew on Tuesday and spelled out what he hopes to achieve.

 

"It went very well and West Ham fans would like to have heard the things he said to me," Pardew said.

 

"Other clubs like Aston Villa have proved that when the takeover process has been finished, it can push you forward quickly."

[Nate]

I would be undecided for half that, definetly not.

[toptoon]

We have Martins now so no! We need to give Martins a fair crack at it, if he doesn't do it for us then maybe. Charton need Bent to stay in the Prem so he won't be availiable till the end of the season.

 

Luke young or Micha Richards though   

[Guest eyeball_tickler]

nope, the keywords in january should be "cheap" and "cheerful"

[Yorkie]

Great player, and maybe, maybe in the summer. But we have Owen and Martins who Bent wouldn't work with and he wouldn't work in our team anyway, i don't think. We shouldn't go after him in January, though, definitely not. As has been said, cheap and cheerful will do me in January, and someone with a bit of presence in the box who can stick the thing in the net.

[James]

Having had Darren Bent reject a £500k move to Newcastle years back, I would hate us to spend so much.

[Tooj]

Great player, and maybe, maybe in the summer. But we have Owen and Martins who Bent wouldn't work with and he wouldn't work in our team anyway, i don't think. We shouldn't go after him in January, though, definitely not. As has been said, cheap and cheerful will do me in January, and someone with a bit of presence in the box who can stick the thing in the net.

 

:roll:

[Dave]

He scores goals. Even in a shit Charlton side he's scored 6 goals this year.

 

Too much at £9m though, far too risky.

[Yorkie]

Great player, and maybe, maybe in the summer. But we have Owen and Martins who Bent wouldn't work with and he wouldn't work in our team anyway, i don't think. We shouldn't go after him in January, though, definitely not. As has been said, cheap and cheerful will do me in January, and someone with a bit of presence in the box who can stick the thing in the net.

 

:roll:

 

:?

 

He's not bad. Been prolific for the last two seasons in an average-to-struggling Charlton team. That's pretty impressive.

 

Depends what you define 'great' as to be honest.

[UV]

He scores goals. Even in a shit Charlton side he's scored 6 goals this year.

 

Too much at £9m though, far too risky.

 

He's got Amdy Faye setting them up on a plate for him at Charlton though.

[ElDiablo]

He scores goals. Even in a shit Charlton side he's scored 6 goals this year.

 

Too much at £9m though, far too risky.

 

He's got Amdy Faye setting them up on a plate for him at Charlton though.

 

 

Thats true. Not forgetting Radostin Kishishev and Djimi Traore pumping pinpoint cross after pinpoint cross in the box.

 

[GeordieDazzler]

Only if we have proper plan on how he would fit into the team.

 

Which of course we wont.

[Menace]

£6M max.

[Guest Kenton Magpie]

Why would jump from the frying pan into the fire?

[Dokko]

Not worth more than £4m as a player.

 

Your paying another £3m for his nationality, and another £2m for his age and uncertain future potential.

 

I'd rather go for cheaper options upfront, loan deals from abroad, and some older experienced heads to help find the net.

 

 

 

 

[Baggio]

I'd pay £9 million for him as you know what you're getting for your money.

 

He's a young lad with potential who has shown that he can score goals in the Premiership, his situation reminds me of Yakubu's at Pompey when they were struggling, people questioned whether he would score goals at another club and if he was worth the money but he's proved an excellent buy for Boro.

 

I think Bent could prove the same if he came here, even if it was for £9 million.

[Dokko]

I'd pay £9 million for him as you know what you're getting for your money.

 

He's a young lad with potential who has shown that he can score goals in the Premiership, his situation reminds me of Yakubu's at Pompey when they were struggling, people questioned whether he would score goals at another club and if he was worth the money but he's proved an excellent buy for Boro.

 

I think Bent could prove the same if he came here, even if it was for £9 million.

 

Rather have Yakubu.

 

 

[Baggio]

I'd pay £9 million for him as you know what you're getting for your money.

 

He's a young lad with potential who has shown that he can score goals in the Premiership, his situation reminds me of Yakubu's at Pompey when they were struggling, people questioned whether he would score goals at another club and if he was worth the money but he's proved an excellent buy for Boro.

 

I think Bent could prove the same if he came here, even if it was for £9 million.

 

Rather have Yakubu.

 

 

 

That's sort of my point, we missed the boat with Yakubu because we thought all the things about him that we do with Bent now.

[1878]

Don't you need some that can hold the ball up, head it and has a bit of strength?

 

Not another fast, short arse supporting striker like Martins and Owen? Though I suppose if you keep spending £10m on those players one of them will work out

[Sparks]

I'm not sure if we would have the money to spend at least until next summer. It would be a major gamble at 9 million however tough decisons like this are what makes the best managers.

[Dragon55544]

Dean Ashton!!!! I think he is the striker we need atm

[Guest newcastle4life]

Not for that price take to many gambles as it is would want a more proven player for that price might take him for a lower one but have to many players similiar.

[Cajun]

Don't you need some that can hold the ball up, head it and has a bit of strength?

 

Not another fast, short arse supporting striker like Martins and Owen? Though I suppose if you keep spending £10m on those players one of them will work out

 

I wouldn't say 5ft 11 is exactly "short arse"

 

Bent is a good player who scores goals and I think would work well with any of our strikers. I would gamble the £9m as long as we had enough to sort out the defence aswell.

[The College Dropout]

I'm not sure if we would have the money to spend at least until next summer. It would be a major gamble at 9 million however tough decisons like this are what makes the best managers.

 

He often plays upfront on his own and his good in the air.

 

Nobody wanted him at 3m 2 years ago and it would just hurt our already fragile pride to splurge 9M on him.

[Taylor Swift]

After seeing another abject performance from Charlton the other day, the thought came that Bent should be available for a reasonable price if/when they get relegated. Seeing as they spent basically twice their normal transfer budget in the last window, it'll be hard for them to strengthen in the Jan window and thus makes it more likely for them to get relegated. Although Pardew will give them a lift, it probably won't be enough and thus, when they get relegated, we could theoretically swoop in with a bid of say 5m because they will need the money. Thoughts?