Villa break record to bring in Bent

England striker Darren Bent has joined Aston Villa FC from Sunderland AFC for a club-record fee which could reportedly rise to €28m.

Bent, who has scored 32 goals in 58 top-flight appearances since moving to Sunderland in summer 2009, has signed a four-and-a-half year deal at Villa Park. The 26-year-old is the third-highest Premier League scorer since the start of the 2005/06 campaign – taking in spells at Charlton Athletic FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC, as well as Sunderland – having found the net 81 times, one fewer than Wayne Rooney and Didier Drogba.

"Aston Villa are a massive football club and as soon as I knew they were interested in signing me, I wanted to join," he said. "The size and history of the football club are major reasons for me coming here. There are some top, top players here too. I've been able to speak to the manager and the chairman about their ambitions for the club, so I'm very excited about being a part of what we hope to achieve."

Villa, who lie 17th in the Premier League, signed Cameroon midfielder Jean Makoun from Olympique Lyonnais last week.