Should Sunderland rival Burton for Darren Bent?

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Burton Albion have confirmed an interest in Darren Bent, so Sunderland should make their own move for their former striker.

In comments reported by the Daily Mail’s live transfer feed (10th January 2018; 15:28), Burton Albion boss Nigel Clough has confirmed that Derby striker Darren Bent is one of the players that he has asked about this month as he looks to steer the Brewers away from the Championship’s relegation zone.

“We speak to Gary Rowett regularly at Derby, and we know he (Bent) has been out of the picture. So he’s one of a dozen players that we’ve enquired about,” he said, as reported by the Mail.

“But I would think with his pedigree that he’s got a few offers to choose from. Because of our position in the league he’ll probably have better clubs higher up the league to go to.”

Though Clough is not optimistic about Burton’s chances of landing the 33-year-old, perhaps one of their relegation rivals should make sure that they are also in the race – especially if they are able to sign the veteran on loan for the rest of the season.

Signing a striker surely has to be near the very top of Chris Coleman’s list of priorities for the January transfer window after Lewis Grabban’s loan at the Stadium of Light was terminated by parent club Bournemouth.

Without 12-goal Grabban, Coleman now has just two players in his squad who have scored more than once in the league this season, so perhaps the Black Cats should look to bring Bent back to the club nearly seven years after his departure for Aston Villa if he is available this month.

The Englishman – who cost Villa £24 million in 2011 (via BBC Sport) – has boasted a good record throughout the majority of his career with his best spell coming during his time with Sunderland when he scored 32 Premier League goals in just 58 games.

Of course, it would be incredibly naive to think that he could match that record at this stage of his career, but with the battle at the bottom of the division so congested, adding a player who has that eye for goal may prove inspired.

With Burton one of their direct rivals to stay up, there is surely no way that the Black Cats can allow Clough to step up his interest without making a loan bid of their own.