From a man whose team has scored just 11 goals in 22 Premier League games this season, strong words:
"I never stood in his way to go to any other club.
"The only clubs that came in for him were Championship clubs - not one Premier League club. That says a lot, so it was never personal.
"He went to Brighton for a month and they never wanted to renew it. He's gone to Derby and never started a game.
"At Fulham, he never played a lot of games towards the tail end [of last season]. Was it personal with me when he was at Fulham? It is what it is, but it was never personal."
Clearly doesn't fancy him then.
Bent has signed for Derby on loan until the end of the season, and with his contract up in the summer his Villa career is effectively over.