Bent: Aston Villa striker Darren Bent has joined Championship side Derby County on loan for the rest of the season. The 30-year-old former England international, one of only 24 players to score more than 100 Premier League goals, has been on loan at Brighton for the last month. Bent, who played 13 times for England from 2006-11, joined Villa for a club-record fee of 18 million pounds in January 2011 but spent last season on loan at Fulham.

Diabate: Impending knee surgery has ruled Mali striker Cheick Tidiane Diabate out of the African Nations Cup and for the next four months, his French club Bordeaux said. Diabate, who helped Mali to third-place finishes at the last two Nations Cups, made the decision to undergo surgery after consultation with doctors. Diabate is the top scorer for Bordeaux this season despite playing irregularly because of ongoing pain in the knee.

Yoshida: Japan defender Maya Yoshida has agreed a new three-year contract at Southampton, the club have announced. The 26 -year-old has been with Southampton since August 2012, making 60 appearances and scoring three goals. Yoshida, who can play at right-back as well as in the centre, has now joined up with Japan ahead of the Asian Cup in Australia.

A-League: Perth Glory took a huge step forward at the A-League summit by beating second-placed Melbourne Victory 2-1. Two goals in the first 16 minutes, from Andy Keogh and Chris Harold, were enough to take the Western Australians seven points clear at the top. Melbourne’s goal came from a 58th-minute penalty converted by Besart Berisha.

Rangers: The Rangers board has welcomed the purchase of 13.3m shares by millionaire businessman Douglas Park’s Three Bears group. It was revealed on New Year’s Eve that the club’s largest shareholder Laxey Partners had sold its 16 per cent stake to Park and his associates George Letham and George Taylor. Laxey chairman Colin Kingsnorth claimed he was handing the shares to the three wealthy supporters so they could lead the fight against Mike Ashley’s Ibrox involvement, after labelling chairman David Somers a “wet fish”.

FA Cup: Third round – Cardiff vs Colchester 3-1; MK Dons vs Chesterfield 0-1.

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