10 Shocking Sunderland Departures That Nobody Expected

2. Darren Bent

If any player signified the promise Sunderland showed in the early days of Steve Bruce's reign, it was Darren Bent. The pacey striker showed a natural eye for goal unlike anything seen on Wearside since the days of Phillips and Quinn, scoring an impressive 32 goals in 58 games. Given his prior record of transfer controversy (he lambasted Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy on Twitter for not selling him to Sunderland quickly enough) fans shouldn't have been too surprised to see Bent leave acrimoniously. Unfortunately, it was indeed a shock when he declared his interest in moving away. A failed transfer bid of 18 million pounds from Aston Villa was enough to pique his interest, and he angered Sunderland fans with the speed and ease of the subsequent move. Now branded a mercenary, Bent's decline has been a malicious joy for the Black Cats to witness. Stuck on the bench on loan at relegation-bound Fulham, Bent has yet to impress at Villa Park since his return.