"I would have definitely stayed with Ipswich if we had got promoted but it wasn't to be. I want to thank the fans and the coaches and all the lads for all the great times that we had at Ipswich.
"The majority of supporters have been fantastic to me ever since I made my debut when I was 17 and before that in the youths and reserves.
"The majority of the times at Ipswich were good days, playing in Europe and things like that, but now I have the chance to play in the Premiership with a terrific club like Charlton.
"I spoke to Matty Holland about Charlton and he told me they were a very similar club, in many ways to Ipswich, but this would be a great opportunity, and when someone like Matty says things like that then you have to listen.
"It is a shame to see the Ipswich team breaking up, if it does. There are a lot of terrific lads there and we were very, very close.
“I have always been able to answer the challenge that has been asked of me and I have seen, when I have been with the England Under-21s, that I can hold my own with Premiership players and I'm confident that I can do well in the Premiership with Charlton.”
Bent signed a four year deal with Addicks initally worth £2.5M to Town, rising to £3M depending on apperances and international call-ups along with a sell on clause of an as yet unspecified amount.