Villa had previously blocked the defender’s move to Sheffield Wednesday.
Aston Villa owner Tony Xia has strongly suggested on Twitter that defender Joe Bennett is leaving the club to join fellow Championship side Cardiff City.
Bennett has looked certain to leave Villa this summer after reportedly being told that he will not be playing a leading role for the club even in the second tier.
Villa also have Jordan Amavi and Aly Cissokho as left-backs in their squad, and the French pair both appear to be ahead of Bennett in the pecking order.
The former Middlesbrough man had looked set to join Sheffield Wednesday until Xia pulled the plug, with the chairman explaining that he was unprepared to pay Bennett’s wages whilst he played for a rival as it appeared Villa would have had to subsidise the defender’s wages in some form.
Now, however, Bennett finally seems to be heading for the exit door as Xia tweeted: “We have agreed to let Joe move to Cardiff for free but not subside [sic] any wages. Wish him a bright career there as many SW fans expected!”
That explanation seems to suggest that Bennett will be leaving on a permanent free transfer as Xia and Roberto di Matteo move into the final stages of their summer business.
Bennett has not made a single competitive appearance for Villa this season, and looks set to leave the club having played just 36 times in three years at Villa Park.
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