McLeish expects Bent to stay

Aston Villa boss Alex McLeish has stated that it is unlikely that Darren Bent will leave the club in the January transfer window, despite receiving criticism of late.

The England international striker was sighted shopping during the Midlands club’s defeat to Liverpool, whilst the attacker was unavailable through injury.

Despite this, the Scottish coach has stated the importance of Bent to the Villa Park side, and feels he will not leave in the new year.

“I wouldn’t think anybody can afford Darren. I wouldn’t think so,” he told Mirror Football.

“It is very much a kind of juggling of the balls at the moment. We have got to trade carefully so that means I can’t just go into the market without there being a kind of balance.

“But losing a striker of Darren’s ability would be difficult to replace. His goals last season were a vital part of Villa’s season in terms of keeping them up,” he stated.

QPR have been linked with a move for Bent, but McLeish knows the importance of having a proven goalscorer in his side after being relegated with Birmingham last term.

“People say that strikers make the difference in this league.

“That was something that badly affected Birmingham City last year when we lost Nikola Zigic after the League Cup final and Obafemi Martins breaking his leg was a massive blow to that club,” he concluded.

By Gareth McKnight