Everton have sold striker Marcus Bent to Charlton for £2.5m.

The 27-year-old's final appearance for the Blues was as a late substitute in Saturday's 1-0 victory at Portsmouth.

The move to The Valley brings to an end Bent's 18 month spell at Goodison.

He was signed from Ipswich for just £450,000 in the summer of 2004 and proved a huge success in his first season on Goodison.

He played much of the season as the lone striker in a 4-5-1 formation, netting seven goals to help the Blues to a fourth place finish in the Premiership.

But this season Bent has struggled for goals, netting just once from 24 appearances. His last goal in an Everton shirt was in the 1-0 win at Bolton in August.

James Beattie has established himself as the club's number one striker and the recent impressive performances of James McFadden and Duncan Ferguson have pushed Bent down the Goodison pecking order.

Charlton will become Bent's ninth club and marks a return to his native London.

He began his career at Brentford before moving on to Crystal Palace, Port Vale, Sheffield United, Blackburn, Ipswich and Leicester.