Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has revealed that Darren Bent is not in his plans for next season.

Bent, who is currently on loan at Fulham, has one year remaining on his Villa contract, but Lambert insists that there is no chance of the 30-year-old returning to the first-team squad in the future.

Asked if Bent could force his way into his plans in pre-season, Lambert told reporters: "No, the club's moved on.

"Darren has not really played for me for two years. Obviously he's been on loan at Fulham, here we've had Christian's [Benteke] form and that's football. Whatever happens at the end of the season will happen."

Bent joined Villa from Sunderland for an initial £18m in January 2011.

Written by
Callum Mulvihill