After committing his future to the club on a permanent basis, Derby County forward Darren Bent says that his time on loan in the Championship last season made him "fall in love with football again".

Bent scored 12 goals in 17 appearances for Steve McClaren's side despite Derby's play-off hopes slipping away in the final weeks of the season, and is glad to return having been left out in the cold by former club Aston Villa.

The 31-year-old former England international was Villa's most expensive ever purchase at £18million, but made just eight appearances for the Villans last season as his contract was allowed to expire.

And in an interview with The Derby Telegraph, he has revealed his frustration at his final year with the Birmingham club.

“You never really fall out of love with the game because it is something you have been doing for so long," he claimed. "But football is hard when you are not playing, like at Villa.

“You train all week and then there is nothing at the end of the week because you are not in the team.

“I’d had a difficult few years at Aston Villa and so it was perfect to come here, play games and score goals.”

But now he is looking forward to the challenge of helping new manager Paul Clement take Derby to the Premier League for the first time since 2008.

“I’m pleased to be back,” he said. “Derby County is a fantastic football club. I said that when I first came here on loan and I am looking forward to getting going.

“I really enjoyed my loan spell last season. Everyone at the club made me feel so welcome when I first arrived and once my contract was coming to an end at Aston Villa, this was the only place I could see myself coming to.

“My time on loan helped me to enjoy my football again – it made me fall back in love with football again."

Bent has become former Real Madrid assistant Paul Clement's first signing along with ex-Reading defender Alex Pearce, and the forward was full of praise for his new manager.

“It is nice to be Paul’s first signing,” he continued. “I have had a few discussions with him since he took over and I am very excited about working with him.

“His pedigree speaks for itself. Look at some of the players he has worked with and some of the clubs he has worked at.

“Derby County is in good hands and hopefully he can take us places. There are probably very few coaches out there with his CV.”