Bent left frustrated by Cats deal delay
Jul 31 2009 The Journal
NYRON Nosworthy is excited to see Sunderland linked with the big-name players that historically have tended to elude them. But the Black Cats will need Tottenham Hotspur to soften their negotiating stance if Darren Bent is not to become the latest target to get away.
Having already missed out on Peter Crouch – who this month snubbed the Wearsiders to join Tottenham – Bent’s signing is also in the balance.
Whereas Crouch opted to stay in the south for less money, Bent is understood to be frustrated at the impasse threatening his transfer.
England international Bent has been linked with Aston Villa, Hull City and Stoke City but of the three, only Stoke’s interest is thought to be genuine. And Bent appeared to let his frustration boil over in a tirade directed against Spurs chairman Daniel Levy on Twitter yesterday.
“Do I wanna go Hull city NO. Do I wanna go stoke NO do I wanna go sunderland YES so stop ****ing around levy” read yesterday’s update on “db10thetruth”, which purports to be Bent’s page on the internet social network Twitter and has been the preferred method of communication on the transfer in recent days.
Sunderland thought they had agreed an initial £10m fee for the 25-year-old, only to discover that Tottenham want more for a player who cost them £16.5m when they signed him from Charlton Athletic a year ago.
Nosworthy believes the fact that players of Bent’s calibre are interested in moving to Wearside is great news for everyone involved in the club. “It’s good to see the names flying around,” said the defender. “There was a time when people wouldn’t come to Sunderland but now there is a buzz and players want to come here. The club is picking up in the Premier League.
“I have worked hard over the summer to overcome my hamstring – again. No after effects, it’s fine at the moment. You just have to look after yourself.”
While Nosworthy enjoys seeing his club linked with big names, the 28-year-old is cautious not to read too much into the gossip until it becomes fact.
“For me it’s all speculation,” he said. “When players are not playing things get spoken about. But I just get my head down, I’m paid by Sunderland and I have to concentrate on playing. I enjoy the life at Sunderland, enjoy training and it’s a good club to be at.
“There’s nothing from me starting these rumours. You can’t do anything about it. You just have to train hard.”
As a Londoner who left Gillingham to join the Black Cats four years ago, Nosworthy cannot quite understand the reticence some players show towards Sunderland.
“I don’t know why other players find it hard to come up to the North East,” he said. “But those who have taken the gamble really enjoy it, I’m sure. It’s a great experience and it is down to the individual.”
Tottenham’s hand in negotiations has been weakened after it transpired that two of Sunderland’s supposed rivals in the bidding for Bent have no interest at all.
Having missed out on a number of targets this summer, Hull City are in the market for a centre-forward. Their South Shields-born manager Phil Brown insists Bent is not one of them, however.
“There are a lot of mischievous people out there that are trying to create things that are not there,” he said. “I had a drink with Harry (Redknapp, Tottenham’s manager) this afternoon and all we talked about was where he sees Tottenham this season or where I see Hull this season.
“There was no talk over exchanges of players or transfer bids or any of that.”
Villa manager Martin O’Neill is also understood to have privately ruled his club out of the running for Bent.
Meanwhile, ENPPI Cairo right winger Ahmed Al-Muhammadi is reportedly on trial at the Academy of Light. The 21-year-old Blackburn Rovers target has been dubbed “the Egyptian David Beckham”.
He has 20 senior caps and was sent off in his country’s Confederations Cup opener against Brazil in South Africa this summer for handling Lucio’s goalbound effort.
