Bent turns towards Spurs

Darren Bent is expected to complete a £16 million move to Tottenham within the next seven days after Charlton agreed to accept a reduced offer for their striker.

Peter Varney, Charlton's chief executive, had said Bent would remain with the club unless their £17 million valuation was matched. West Ham had agreed to that figure and offered Bent a five-year contract worth about £75,000 a week but after talks and a medical the 23-year-old England international pulled out of the deal.

Charlton have since softened their stance and are ready to settle for £15 million with a potential extra £1 million in success-related payments. The biggest potential bar to the move is Liverpool's continuing search for a forward. Should they fail to land Atletico Madrid's Fernando Torres, then serious interest is anticipated, though Rafael Benitez has other options.

Charlton, despite their relegation from the Premiership last season, are not under short-term financial pressure to sell but realise Bent's departure is inevitable. They have already signed the forwards Luke Varney and Chris Iwelumo and manager Alan Pardew will use the funds generated from Bent's sale to bring in at least eight new players between now and the end of August, when the summer transfer window shuts.

Tottenham's initial interest in Bent was lodged in January and they have asked to be kept updated since. Alan Curbishley, the West Ham and former Charlton manager, was also keen on Bent, having signed him from Ipswich two years ago, and will be dismayed that Charlton have now lowered their asking price to see the transfer speeded up. West Ham had offered cash plus Hayden Mullins for Bent but there will be no makeweight players in the Tottenham deal.

Bent's snub to West Ham will become all the more acute when he accepts a contract within the wage structure at White Hart Lane, where Robbie Keane is the top earner on an estimated £50,000 a week. The move will, however, cast doubt over the future of Jermain Defoe.

One source at Charlton said he believed the deal would be profitable for Tottenham in the long run. "The main reason we think Darren has such a high value is because he has just turned 23," said the Charlton source. "In four years' time do you think for one minute transfer fees will have gone down with all the TV money coming in? He will be 27 and one of the top English centre-forwards. He's going to be worth at least £20 million."

Liverpool are believed to have made inquiries through Bent's adviser Neil Fewings but he would not be guaranteed first-team football with last season's Champions League finalists, which Bent sees as crucial to his international aspirations.

Guardian Service