Aston Villa boss Alex McLeish has ruled out selling Darren Bent – unless he could bring in Liverpool striker Luis Suarez as a replacement.

 

McLeish is well aware of Bent’s importance to the Midlands giants and believes that his price tag would be so high as to make a transfer an impossibility.

 

"A striker of Darren’s ability would be difficult to replace", admitted McLeish.

 

"His goals last season were a vital part of Villa’s season in terms of keeping them up. I wouldn’t think anybody could afford Darren. I wouldn’t think so", added the Scot, before stressing that by throwing Suarez into the mix.

 

"It would send out the wrong message unless we went out and signed Luis Suarez or something.

 

"Even suspended for eight games, I’d have him."

 

Villa face a tough festive fixture list, with a visit to Stoke City on the agenda this evening, before a trip to Chelsea on New Year’s Eve.

 

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