Tottenham have confirmed the signing of Darren Bent from Charlton in a £16.5million deal, smashing the club's transfer record. The 23-year-old's arrival breaks the £11million the club paid for Sergei Rebrov.

The England striker was at Spurs Lodge yesterday to complete the formalities of the deal. He has agreed a deal "up to six years", according to the club's announcement on the Stock Exchange.

The transfer fee will be paid over the next three years in instalments and it is understood the final £1million of the deal is performance-related.

Bent said: "Tottenham have a lot of young English players and it's a young squad, it's a squad going forward and that's the direction I wanted to take. They seem to be getting better and better every season and I would love to be part of that."

Bent's 15 goals last season could not prevent Alan Pardew's men escaping the drop and his move from The Valley had been anticipated since defeat to Spurs when relegation was sealed in the final week of the campaign.

West Ham made the first move for Bent but he turned down the chance to be reunited with Alan Curbishley, who brought him to the Premier League from Ipswich two seasons ago.