Transfer Whispers: Marcus Bent

The 27-year-old, who David Moyes bought for just £450k from Ipswich a year ago and scored 7 in 34 last season, could be squeezed out at Goodison Park by the arrival of James Beattie, a rejuvenated Duncan Ferguson and the emerging James Vaughan.

Bent, raised in the same part of London as Pearce, Hammersmith, has previously played in the Premiership with Blackburn and Ipswich, and returned to the top flight when loaned to Leicester for the 2003-04 season, scoring 9 in 28 starts.