Striker Bent says there were no talks over a Burton return during this season
DARREN Bent says there has been no conversation between him Burton Albion about a possible deal to return to the Pirelli Stadium.
The former Derby County striker spent the second half of last season on loan with Burton scoring twice in their doomed Championship survival bid.
Bent has been without a club since his release from the Rams in the summer.
Albion boss Nigel Clough said in August that the club: “might have a chat with Darren” and added that any deal would likely have to be a pay-as-you-play deal. Clough did not say a deal had been offered.
And Bent has denied a conversation took place between him and Clough.
“I read reports that Nigel Clough had offered me a pay-as-you-play contract but I never actually sat down with him to talk about that,” Bent told the East Anglian Daily Times.
“We never had that conversation. “I had a few offers over the summer. A couple got quite close to happening and didn’t quite pan out for various reasons, while a couple of the clubs I just didn’t fancy.
“I trained with Burton over the summer, played some pre-season games, had a couple of charity matches and have been doing my own gym work. I don’t think general fitness would be an issue, it would just take a little bit of time to get that match sharpness back.”
One move Bent would certainly be open to is a return to former club Ipswich. He notched 50 goals in 130 appearances at Portman Road after graduating from the club’s academy.
His grounding In East Anglia started a career that
took in big-money moves to Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Sunderland.
Bent was the subject of a rapturous ovation from the Blues faithful in February’s 0-0 draw with Burton.
“There’s been no contact but obviously it’s something I would be open to,” he said about a possible move to Ipswich.
“It’s a club close to my heart. That’s where it all started for me, I had a lot of good days there and a great relationship with the fans. Never mind it being one of the results I look for every week, it’s the first result I look for.
“Going back there one day has always been something in the back of my mind throughout my career. I think it would be fitting if that was the last stop on my journey.
“I’m enjoying the media work, but would love to keep playing as long as possible.
“That said, I’ve got levels and standards that I don’t want to drop below.
“We’ll see what happens. As I say, I’d definitely love to have a conversation with Ipswich.”