Aston Villa striker Darren Bent has dropped down to the Sky Bet Championship to join Brighton on loan.

The 30-year-old former England international, who cost Villa nearly €23 million from Sunderland in 2011, has agreed an initial one-month deal with the Seagulls after falling out of favour at Villa Park.

Bent scored 25 goals for Sunderland during the 2009 season, and a further 23 goals in the 2010 season. Yet since then he has only managed the same total of 23 goals over the past three-and-a-half seasons with Villa.

Sami is delighted

He could make his debut on Saturday against Fulham, the club where he spent last season on loan.

He will be playing under former Liverpool captain Sami Hyypia who would have first-hand experience of playing against the former Fulham, Sunderland, Tottenham, Charlton and Ipswich striker, in his own ten years in the Premier League.

The Brighton manager told the club website: “We are delighted to welcome Darren to the club, and I hope he will score plenty of goals for us during his time with us.

“His record speaks for itself. He is a top-class striker with more than 100 Premier League goals with Charlton, Spurs, Sunderland and Aston Villa.

"Three years ago he was a regular in the England squad under Fabio Capello; there is no doubting his ability to score goals.

“He also wants to play regular games and that is evident in his willingness to step down from the Premier League to the Championship.”

Bent has made eight appearances for Villa this season but failed to score.