Palace keen on Bent loan deal

Crystal Palace are hopeful of agreeing a loan deal for Aston Villa’s Darren Bent, the Mirror understands.

The Premier League newcomers are willing to pay £40,000-a-week of the England international’s wages, and give his parent club a bonus if he helps them avoid relegation.

Should that happen, the Eagles will also try and negotiate a permanent deal for the 29 year old, who was frozen out at Villa Park last season largely due to the form of Belgium international Christian Benteke.

Paul Lambert was looking to sell Bent this summer, though no club offered an acceptable financial package.

Newcastle were reluctant to meet the strikers wage demands, while Fulham weren’t keen on committing so much money to a single deal.

However, relegation favourites Palace are willing to gamble on the former Sunderland man as they attempt to retain their top flight status for the first time since the inception of the Premier League.