Is David Bentley Really Worth 15 Million Pounds?

So David Bentley, the right winger who many believe will be the successor to David Beckham, has signed for Tottenham Hotspur in a deal worth 15 million pounds. But is he worth it?

For Tottenham, Blackburn and David Bentley, the transfer move is a win-win-win.

The former Blackburn, Norwich and Arsenal player will improve his game at Tottenham under the tutelage of Juande Ramos and assistant coach Gus Poyet. For Bentley, it’s a smart career move.

It’s also a smart business decision by Blackburn. Fifteen million dollars is a lot of money for the Lancashire side. Rovers can use that money to buy two players. Liverpool’s Jermaine Pennant is a £6 million target to replace Bentley, which leaves Blackburn money to spare to sign someone within the August transfer window (although a percentage of the Bentley transfer fee will be paid to Arsenal).

At Spurs, Bentley will join a formidable midfield alongside Luka Modric, Jermaine Jenas, Jamie O’Hara, Tom Huddlestone, Didier Zokora and Aaron Lennon. The club is now just a signing or two away from building an awe-inspiring squad (Arshavin and Pavlyuchenko would be the icing on the cake).

While there’s no doubt that Bentley is talented, I don’t believe Bentley is worth £15 million. He hasn’t yet produced the consistency to be deemed a world-class player. He sometimes drifts in and out of games, but when he’s on, he’s on — as we’ve seen at Blackburn on many occasions where he can score a goal or grab an assist out of nowhere.

Yes, Bentley has the potential to prove that he’s worth £15 million. In a few years from now, that pricetag could be considered a smart business decision by Tottenham, but Bentley still has a lot of room for improvement. Bentley has the perfect role model in David Beckham — someone who has the inch-perfect precision for crosses and free kicks. Bentley is more versatile than that, but it’s an area where the former Blackburn player can improve and to pay back to Spurs for their allegiance in him.

What do you think? Is David Bentley worth £15 million? Click the comments link below and share your feedback.