Aston Villa striker Darren Bent is close to completing a move to Newcastle United, according to a report.

Bent said yesterday that his exit from the club is imminent, and it seems that Newcastle have stolen a march on Fulham, who pulled out of a deal for the 29-year-old due to his wage demands.

Bent is currently earning £80,000 a week at the Midlands club, but the Belfast Telegraph reports that Magpies manager Alan Pardew has compromised on a £50,000-a-week deal for the former Ipswich Town, Charlton Athletic and Tottenham Hotspur forward.

"I'm pushing Joe [Kinnear] to get a transfer in," Pardew is quoted as saying. "I think we need a boost now. We are in a situation where we want to progress now."

Bent was signed by Villa in a club-record £24m deal in January 2011, but he has found himself increasingly marginalised under boss Paul Lambert.