The former England international is out in the cold at Villa Park and has been TOLD that he needs to find a new club this summer.
Magpies boss Alan Pardew admitted that he was interested in the 29-year-old but will now face competition from the Cottagers after new owner Shahid Khan gave Martin Jol permission to secure a £5m deal for the striker, reports The People.
Bent move to Villa in January 2011 in a reported £24m move from Sunderland.
Any Newcastle deal would be for four years, making Bent 33 when the deal comes to a conclusion ... and that is not the way Ashley works.
Pardew has been banging his head against a brick wall all summer trying to get the deal done ... but only Joe Kinnear can push this deal through.
And Kinnear is still not sure the player has the 'mojo' he had when he was wearing the England shirt.
He would be a 'top earner' at Newcastle, and that asks the big question - is he worth it?