Since hiring Graham Potter to replace Julen Lopetegui in January, West Ham United have been linked with numerous players who worked with the former Brighton and Chelsea boss in seasons gone by.
In an attempt to convince the Hammers to part with Mohammed Kudus, Chelsea offered Nathaniel Chalobah in exchange.
Graham Potter’s former Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez has been mentioned as well, while West Ham held talks with Adam Webster a few months ago before cooling their interest in the experienced centre-half.
This is a rather long-winded way of saying that, when a manager gets a new job as Potter did at the beginning of 2025 after West Ham United came calling, it is far from uncommon for reunions to take place between a coach and some of his most-trusted lieutenants.
So Darren Bent, the former England international who scored 106 Premier League goals between 2001 and 2013, is not surprised to see reports emerge suggesting Thomas Frank could look to take Bryan Mbeumo with him from Brentford to Tottenham Hotspur.
Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
Darren Bent explains why he joined Tottenham rather than West Ham United
Frank is expected to take over at Spurs this week following the oh-so divisive sacking of Ange Postecoglou.
While reports of a late hi-jacking from North London have been played down in the media – Mbeumo still seems destined for Manchester United – Bent knows all too well the role emotions and pre-established relationships can play.
“Mbeumo under Thomas Frank has been incredible. He has turned into a superstar,” Bent says, the Brentford talisman scoring 20 top-flight goals in the 2024/25 season.
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“If Thomas Frank comes to him, I know exactly what he will say to him. ‘You’re going to Man United, look at what’s going on at that club. You come to me, we have worked together, you know exactly how I operate, you are going to play every single week at Tottenham’.
“That might be enough to sway his brain to go to Tottenham.
Bent, by his own admission, had the opportunity to reunite with his former Charlton Athletic boss Alan Curbishley at Upton Park back in 2007 before eventually making a £16.5 million switch to Spurs instead.
The former Aston Villa and Sunderland poacher would not see eye-to-eye with then-West Ham chairman Eggert Magnusson, talks breaking down as a result.
Magnusson – whose distinctive cranium made his name a gift to pundits and critics alike – would later describe himself as feeling ‘surprised’ and ‘disappointed’ when Bent slipped through the Hammers’ grasp, in quotes reported by The Standard.
“I had this situation with Alan Curbishley at West Ham,” recalls Bent, who also missed out on a reunion with another ex-Addicks boss when Alan Pardew was on the touchline of Newcastle United.
“I didn’t go to West Ham. That wasn’t his fault, I would have loved to play with Curbs! I didn’t get on with the owner, so I didn’t go there and went to Tottenham [but] I had unbelievable times with Curbs.
“If Thomas Frank gets the job and says to Mbeumo ‘just come and talk to me’, Mbeumo has got a big decision to make.”
Alan Curbishley admitted he wanted the England striker at West Ham
Bent, before kick-starting his top-flight career in a prolific spell at Sunderland, would struggle for regular game time in a stacked Tottenham attack containing Robbie Keane, Jermain Defoe and Dimitar Berbatov.
“In an ideal world, you want four top strikers which is what Spurs have,” Curbishley would admit during an injury crisis which left Carlton Cole as West Ham’s only senior centre-forward, per The Standard,
“Darren wanted to go to Spurs. He felt that was the right move for him, but he would have played regularly if he had come to West Ham.
“He is not used to missing out. He played every game at Ipswich and Charlton.”