Which Signing Has Paid Off?

Now that the 2009/10 English Premier League is more than two months old, it's time to see which club got their money's worth over the summer.

With the global economic crisis reaching over to the world of sport, clubs this summer had less money to spend. There were exceptions though: Real Madrid and Manchester City both could have fielded entirely new squads and then some with the extravagant amounts splashed on certain players.

So far, this year's best signing has turned out to be Sunderland striker Darren Bent.

After a disastrous spell at Tottenham Hotspur, in which manager Harry Redknapp once said that Bent missed a chance which his, "grandmother could score," Bent was on the precipice of derailing a once promising career.

When the summer window opened for business, Bent was deemed surplus to requirements at White Hart Lane. New Sunderland manager Steve Bruce opted to sign the English international for a modest $16.3 million.

So far, Bent has proven to be worth every penny.

Not only does Bent lead the Premier League with eight goals, but he has Sunderland sitting seventh in the league after eight games played. In recent years, Sunderland has spent much time on the bottom half of the table.

Bent was also involved in what was arguably the most controversial goal of the year last week against Liverpool. Check it out:

The Hilarious Balloon Goal - Sunderland Vs Liverpool - More amazing videos are a click away

Capitalizing on his time at Sunderland, Bent has parlayed his new form into a possible spot on the England national team for the 2010 World Cup. England manager Fabio Capello certainly has the striker on his radar.