“The price of hope” is between 18 and 24 mln for Villa

 Darren Bent was called “tremendous asset for the months and the years ahead” from Gerard Houlier after the signing of 26-year-old striker with Aston Villa. The amount paid by the team from Birmingham is double than the previous transfer record when they paid £12m for James Milner from Newcastle in August 2008, a fee matched the following year when Stewart Downing joined from Middlesbrough.

 This deal shows the belief of Villa’s American owner Randy Lerner in the team’s manager who is struggling to steer the club away from the relegation zone with three-“W”-teams.