Given the disparity of the wages on offer for the 23-year-old, by holding out for Tottenham's bid it reveals the degree of his conviction that they are the right club for him. Tottenham are understood to be offering personal terms of 30,000 pounds-a-week, around half of what West Ham are prepared to pay. It has always been Bent's preference that he move to Tottenham despite reports that West Ham had sealed his signature.

It leaves West Ham in an embarrassing situation given that even the inflated wages they are prepared to pay do not seem to be enough to persuade players to join Alan Curbishley's rebuilding programme. The club chairman Eggert Magnusson promised an "exciting announcement" earlier yesterday, although that seems to have been premature.

It places Charlton in an awkward position because they had hoped to sell him to the highest bidder. The club's chief executive Peter Varney said last night that the player would start the season at Charlton, although it seems inconceivable that they will not agree to sell him at some point.

"We set a valuation for Darren and West Ham were the only club prepared to meet that valuation," Varney said. "We gave them permission to speak to Darren, which he did, and he has decided not to join West Ham."

The failure to sell Bent means that the anticipated burst of activity in the transfer market has been delayed. Bent's transfer holds the key to a number of players' futures including Craig Bellamy, Jermain Defoe and Andy Johnson. It now seems that West Ham will have to target Bellamy, who is also sought by Aston Villa.