Fulham weighing up third Bent bid

Fulham are considering making a third bid for Darren Bent, after seeing their second offer rejected by Aston Villa, the Guardian understands.

The London club, who were recently taken over by billionaire Shahid Khan, bid £4m for the England international at the weekend, and will now return with an improved offer closer to the £6m the Midlands club are holding out for.

Bent moved to Villa Park for a club record fee two and a half years ago, though he made just eight starts in the Premier League last season, with manager Paul Lambert opting to deploy Belgium international Christian Benteke as a lone striker.

The 29 year old has also strongly been linked with a move to Newcastle United. Where he would once again link with up with manager Alan Pardew, who he worked with for the final six months of his two-year spell with Charlton Athletic, before moving to Tottenham Hotspur.

Bent has also played for Ipswich Town and Sunderland amassing 103 Premier League goals in his career so far, a record bettered by only five other players who are yet to retire.