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Football

20th Aug 2018

Darren Bent set to be offered interesting contract by League One side

"He can just come and go as he pleases."

Darragh Murphy

Darren Bent is set to be given the chance to continue his playing career.

Burton Albion are prepared to offer Bent a pay-as-you-play deal after Derby County released the forward at the end of last season, according to BBC Radio Derby.

Bent spent the second half of the last campaign on loan at Burton Albion and has been training with the Brewers this summer to maintain his fitness.

Manager Nigel Clough is eager to bring in reinforcements after two defeats in his side’s opening three league games.

“There might be a way he can do some media work [too]. He can just come and go as he pleases,” Clough said.

Bent has scored over 200 goals in a storied career which has seen him lead the line at clubs like Spurs, Aston Villa and Sunderland.

The 34-year-old made 13 appearances for England and found the net on four occasions for the national team.

Bent recently found himself embroiled in something of a war of words with ex-Derby boss Paul Clement.

Clement, now at Reading, took to Twitter to claim that Bent was both overweight and lazy during his time at Pride Park in response to comments made by Bent on Sky Sports.

https://twitter.com/PaulClement1972/status/1025683724237787136

“It was inevitable he [Clement] was going to crumble at Derby,” Bent said of his former manager.

“Training had changed and his philosophy from pre-season had gone out the window because we weren’t getting the right results.

“And ultimately he didn’t really like confrontation.”

It’ll certainly make for interesting viewing if Reading and Burton Albion are drawn against one another in a cup this season.