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Darren Bent is facing a summer of uncertainty after Aston Villa boss Tim Sherwood decided not to recall him to first-team training.

The striker’s loan deal at Derby County is over following the Rams’ failure to make the play-offs and now he must wait to see whether his deal at Villa Park will be extended beyond next month.

Talks have taken place previously and both Bent and Sherwood are likely to sit down at the end of the term to discuss the future.

But unlike fellow loanees Gary Gardner, Joe Bennett and Callum Robinson, the striker will not have the chance to impress the boss at Bodymoor Heath ahead of next season.

None of the above can feature for Villa again this term but Sherwood said:

“(Some of them) will come back before the end of the season.

“I know all about Darren so he’ll go on holiday (now).

PICTURES - Darren Bent's time at Aston Villa:

“I don’t need him back, I can’t play him any way.

“These other boys I need to find out about, I need to assess them at close hands.

“I don’t need to know anything about Darren Bent.”

That could spell the end of Bent’s time at Villa in what has been a hit and miss move.

The record signing performed well for Gerard Houllier and became Lambert’s captain when he first arrived.

But the ex-England man was then frozen out by the Scot and forced to look for regular football elsewhere.

Sherwood has not yet ruled out the possibility of a contract extension after watching Bent bag 12 goals in 17 appearances for Derby but the possibility is starting to look less likely.

Any new deal would mean a significant cut on his current £70k-a-week wages.