Paul Lambert talks up importance of Darren Bent to Aston Villa

Darren Bent was injured last week against Wigan Athletic (PA)

Aston Villa striker Darren Bent is fully fit and can’t wait for the start of the new season, according to boss Paul Lambert.

The frontman underwent ankle surgery last season and missed the last three months of the campaign.

Bent scored 10 goals for Villa last season before succumbing to injury in February and his absence almost cost the Villains dearly as they narrowly avoided relegation.

However, new man in charge, Lambert, believes that the former Ipswich, Charlton, Tottenham and Sunderland forward will terrorise defences in the coming season. 

He told Villa's official website, http://www.avfc.co.uk: "Darren will be huge, absolutely huge. He's a goalscorer. Every team needs them.

"You can't just rely on one guy to score you the goals, but his influence at the football club is huge as a result of what he has done in his football career up to now.

"He had a fabulous goalscoring record at Sunderland and if you look at it, his goalscoring career here is phenomenal.

"For England too, he is a threat. He would have gone to the Euros no problem if he had been fit.

"It is a big plus for us to have him fit."

He joined the club in a shock £24m switch from Sunderland in January 2011 after restoring his reputation with 36 goals in 63 appearances for the Black Cats following a difficult end to his spell at White Hart Lane.