Jota Set to Switch Birmingham for Aston Villa in Swap Deal Involving Gary Gardner

Birmingham City forward Jota is set to join local rivals Aston Villa in a swap deal involving Gary Gardner, who has been out on loan at St Andrew's from the Villans this season. 

Jota, who became the Blues' record signing in July 2017 when he joined for £6m plus add-ons from Brentford, made 40 appearances for the club in the Championship this season, notching three goals and nine assists, with Gardner playing 41 times and contributing to six goals.

According to reports from football journalist Nick Mashiter on Twitter, the pair are undergoing their medicals on Friday ahead of the official announcement.

Mashiter wrote: "Jota heading to Aston Villa from Birmingham while Gary Gardner off to St Andrew's permanently. Swap deal. Medicals today."

It would appear that this means the deal is a straight swap, though this has not yet been confirmed.

Gardner, who has just one year left on his Villa contract, has been there since he was a boy, but at 26 years old he has made just 46 appearances for the club, with seven seasons since 2011 spent out on loan.

He is the younger brother of City's Craig Gardner, who is currently working under Garry Monk and has also turned out for both sides of the Second City derby, after starting his career at Villa Park in 2005.

While Villa recently achieved promotion to the Premier League thanks to goals from Anwar El Ghaza and John McGinn against Derby County in the Playoff final, City enjoyed a comparatively mediocre campaign, finishing 17th in the league.