Leeds boss Paul Heckingbottom signed Villa midfielder Gary Gardner on loan at Barnsley.
Birmingham Live claim Aston Villa midfielder Gary Gardner is set to leave the Midlands club on a permanent basis this summer, just months after Leeds United manager Paul Heckingbottom signed him on loan at Barnsley.
The 25-year-old midfielder has impressed in the Tykes’ fight against relegation from the Championship, even captaining the Yorkshire side despite only being on loan.
Heckingbottom lured the hard-working midfielder to Oakwell in the summer on loan, as he plummeted down the pecking order under promotion-chasing manager Steve Bruce.
The likes of Conor Hourihane, Mile Jedinak, Josh Onomah, Henri Lansbury, Glenn Whelan and Birkir Bjarnason sit ahead of the England youth international in the midfield pecking order at Villa Park.
So, should Leeds look to land Gardner this summer, in a move that would see Heckingbottom land the Villa academy product for a second time?
Leeds have struggled in midfield this season. Eunan O’Kane is yet to show why Garry Monk lured him to Elland Road in 2016, while Mateusz Klich has already been shipped out on loan. Adam Forshaw has been injured more than he has played.
Kalvin Phillips has impressed in glimpses, while Ronaldo Vieira remains one of the brightest sparks at Elland Road. But Gardner boasts the kind of hard-working grit and determination that is currently lacking in the middle of the park.
With 113 Championship appearances under his belt, Gardner’s experience would be key in pushing Leeds towards a promotion push in 2018-19. Though he has two years on his Villa contract – worth £20,000 a week according to the Daily Star – he is likely to be sold whether Villa gain promotion or not.
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