Report: Gary Gardner’s Aston Villa career likely to be over

Follow us on Google Discover

Gary Gardner isn’t expected to play for Aston Villa again after his Birmingham City loan.

According to the Birmingham Mail, Gary Gardner won’t have a future with Aston Villa despite impressing with rivals Birmingham City.

Gardner, 26, came up through the Villa ranks, but he has failed to really nail down a first-team role at Villa Park during his time with the club.

The midfielder has made just 46 appearances for Villa, and has spent most of his time with the club out on loan away from Villa Park.

Spells with Coventry City, Sheffield Wednesday, Brighton and Hove Albion, Nottingham Forest and Barnsley have given Gardner experience and playing time over the last seven years, and his most recent loan move was a huge surprise.

Despite his long-lasting ties to Villa, Gardner joined bitter rivals Birmingham City in August, and has impressed in 14 Championship appearances for the Blues this season.

Some may have thought that Gardner would be given another chance at Villa after the appointment of new manager Dean Smith, with the likes of Henri Lansbury and Scott Hogan brought back into the fold after being frozen out by Steve Bruce – much like Gardner.

However, the Birmingham Mail report that Gardner won’t have a future with Villa, and is likely to have played his final game for the club, with another chance under Smith unlikely.

A permanent move to Birmingham may well be in the offing, and with more than 18 months still left to run on his contract, Villa may hope that he continues to impress for the Blues in order to land a bigger fee.