No trip to China for you

• by Soccer America , Jul 29, 2009

[OFF THE POST] Tottenham striker Darren Bent had just settled into his seat when he was told to leave the plane and collect his bags. Instead of traveling with the English Premier League team on a preseason tour of China, Bent was sent to Sunderland.

Tottenham's acquisition of Peter Crouch from Portsmouth prompted Spurs to unload and deplane Bent, hoping to recoup some of the $27 million it paid Charlton for Bent in 2007. Bent scored 18 goals in two seasons for Spurs.