The Beautiful Game

An awful lot of people were quick to scoff when Tottenham parted with £16.5 million to land Darren Bent, but I have a sneaking suspicion he will prove to be a very good signing indeed.

He continued his superb pre-season form with a brace and an assist in Spurs’s 3-0 win over the Orlando Pirates today, and thirty-seven goals in seventy-nine games for low-scoring Charlton proves he doesn’t need many chances in order to score.

He’s athletic, strong, both-footed, good at heading the ball, technically proficient and an accomplished finisher. Not only that, but he’s young (23) and English. Hence the price tag.

His brooding, muscular style and casual self-confidence put me in mind of the currently out-of-sorts Internazionale striker Adriano, and I think the only potential barrier to his success at White Hart Lane will be the amount of time he’s allowed to spend on the pitch by Martin Jol.