Aston Villa boss Tim Sherwood has revealed that striker Darren Bent has a future at the club.

Bent was sent on loan to Derby County by axed Villa boss Paul Lambert in January as the 31-year-old's four-and-a-half-year spell appeared to be coming to an end.

His contract expires in the summer, but Sherwood, who worked with the hitman at Tottenham Hotspur, says that he is not closing any doors just yet.

"The door isn't shut for Darren. If there's a decision to be made on him then it will be over four years of memory from Tottenham," the 47-year-old told a press conference.

"I will have a chat with him but we just need to get over the line then we know where we are. If we're in the Premier League perhaps we can afford the wages!

"If you look at his goalscoring record, it's right up there with everyone. I think he respects the fact that we treat him like a man. He knows our style of management. What we have got on our side is – is he going to go to a club bigger than Aston Villa? He knows me, he knows that he would get chances to score goals, which will be a bonus."

Bent, who spent last season on loan at Fulham, has netted 21 Premier League goals following his club-record £24m move from Sunderland in January 2011.