Aston Villa must drop their asking price for Darren Bent to get him off their books.

The Daily Mail says Villa have put an £8million price tag on former England striker Bent, which has put potential suitors Newcastle United off making a bid for the forward, although Fulham are continuing to keep tabs on the former Tottenham player.

His £3million-a-year wage package is also a difficulty for any buying club, with Bent unwilling to take a drop on his current contract, which still has two years left to run.