Darren dares to dream

A year ago the Charlton hotshot was one of the most sought after strikers in the country and seemingly heading for the Premiership with Ipswich.

But when the East Anglian side lost in the play-offs last May, Bent knew his Premiership ambitions would lie with another club.

Charlton paid £2.5 million for the England Under-21 international last summer and Bent's dream was finally realised.

But little did Bent dream that just a month into his first Premiership season he would make the step up to the England senior squad for a friendly match against Denmark.

And with the World Cup now just four months away, the 22-year-old could finish a fairytale first Premiership season with a place in Sven Goran Eriksson's squad for Germany.

Bent said: "At the start of the season if someone would have said to me that I would be fighting for a World Cup place I would have told them that they were having a laugh.

"My main aim was to hold down a place in the Charlton side and to be the club's main goalscorer.

"Now to be spoken about going to the World Cup is a massive bonus for me."

Bent has scored 14 goals for the Addicks so far this season but knows he will have to keep impressing Sven if he is going to get that elusive first England cap.

With Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen and Peter Crouch all but assured of their spots, barring injury of course, Bent feels he may face a straight race with pal Jermaine Defoe to be the fourth striker.

"I have been in the squad for the last five games now," Bent added.

"The next England game is a key one for me so Sven can have a look at me.

"But he is watching all the Premier League clubs and I know that I have to keep playing my best for Charlton.

"Everyone sees me and Jermaine as rivals for the last place in the squad, because Owen, Rooney and Crouch have been booked on the plane.

"There are no hard feelings between us because we are good friends but it is down to me to do my best.

"If I or either he goes then that can only help England. That is the bigger picture, England winning the World Cup. If we take five strikers then everyone is happy.

"If I do go it will be fantastic for me. It will be the highlight of my career by far. This is my first season in the Premiership, to then play for England and then go to the World Cup it will be the best year of my life."