Darren Bent has admitted his shock at Kenwyne Jones' exit but has backed Fraizer Campbell to fill the void.
Sunderland striker backs Campbell claims
Darren Bent has admitted his shock at Kenwyne Jones' sale to Stoke but has backed Fraizer Campbell to fill Sunderland's striking void.
Trinidad & Tobago international Jones completed his £8million switch to the Britannia Stadium just days before the start of the new Premier League season.
Black Cats boss Steve Bruce now has money to spend in the transfer market and has been linked with bids for the likes of Ghana international Asamoah Gyan and England counterpart Peter Crouch.
But England international Bent believes 22-year-old Campbell has the potential to make a regular starting berth his own on Wearside.
Asked during a
Disney XD Aim High initiative about the prospect of a big-name striker joining the Black Cats before the transfer window closes, the 26-year-old said: "If it happens, it happens.
"If not, then I am more than happy playing alongside Fraizer because he has come back and knocked in a lot of goals in pre-season and he looks ready now.
"In his own mind, he is ready to play week in, week out and if no-one comes in, I will be more than happy to play up front with Fraizer."
Out of the blue
The duo started Saturday's 2-2 Premier League draw with Birmingham in tandem a matter of days after Jones headed for the Potteries, much to the surprise of the man he partnered for much of last season.
Bent admitted: "It came out of the blue that Kenwyne was going - Kenwyne didn't even say anything himself about what was going on.
"But the gaffer is going to make his decisions, he is going to do what he feels is best for the football club and he felt that was to let Kenwyne go.
"But it frees up options now for others and Fraizer is going to come in and take his chance now - he played really well on Saturday - and Danny [Welbeck] is there waiting and so is Martyn Waghorn.
"We all know we need to be firing and it frees up some space for someone else to take their chance."
