Bent leaves Charlton to join Birmingham City
Wednesday, 16 Jul 2008 21:42
Bent has chosen to join up with Alex McLeish at Birmingham
Birmingham City have signed Marcus Bent from
Charlton Athletic for a fee that could rise above £1 million.
The striker has signed a three-year contract at St Andrews and joins Kevin Phillips as the second forward brought into the squad by Alex McLeish this summer.
Bent spent last season on-loan at Premier League side Wigan where he made 31 appearances for the Latics and scored a total of seven goals, finishing as the team's top goalscorer.
The 30-year-old cost Charlton £2.5 million when he joined in January 2006 from
Everton but struggled to establish himself in the first team following the departure of former manager Alan Curbishley.
Following his switch to the Blues, Bent said he was confident they could return to the Premier League at the first attempt.
He said: "There is a lot of pressure on Birmingham now because they are one of the favourites to go back up, but for me as a player that's something I thrive on.
"I'm expecting a hard season because the Championship is full of quality sides but I think we've got the squad and the players to go straight back up."
Bent becomes the fifth striker at the club, along with Phillips, James McFadden, Garry O'Connor and Cameron Jerome.
Although Birmingham will be competing with Charlton next season as both sides look for a return to the top flight, Bent will have to wait until 15th November to face his former side at St Andrews.
Following the completion of the transfer Birmingham become Bent's 11th club as a professional.