Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has claimed that he has no intention of offloading striker Darren Bent this month.

The former Sunderland hitman has been linked with an exit from Villa Park after falling out of favour due to the emergence of striker Christian Benteke, but Lambert has insisted that Bent will not be sold.

"I don't want to sell anybody and it would be daft to sell him to one of our rivals in the lower part of the table," BBC Sport quotes Lambert as saying.

Bent, who has been marred by injuries this season, is due to resume training today.