Sky Sports are reporting that Aston Villa and Birmingham City have a agreed a fee for Craig Gardner to make the switch across the city and it sounds like it’s just a formality of medical and agreeing terms next week.  I know there’s a lot of fans who rate Craig highly and won’t want to see him leave, especially to go to them.

However, like Gary Cahill before him, Craig wants to play first team football and is several places down the totem pole from a first team place.  We can hope perhaps that another team like Bolton comes in for him too, but failing that it would appear that he will become a Birmingham player before the window closes.

Personally, I think he’s a very decent midfielder, but not dissimilar to Steven Davis.  Good, but not outstanding.  If this move goes ahead as it appears to be then I’ll wish Craig all the best and watch his career with interest.  However, it might not be all that classy of me to say so at this point, but looking at the players that MON has let go so far, there isn’t one I wish would return and that includes Cahill and Barry.

On the plus side, if we do see players like Habib Beye and Gardner heading for the exit, they may well be generating a few quid on the way out that MON could replace with a single player of superior value. Possibly.

Update: The OS is now carrying confirmation:-

Villa can confirm Birmingham City and the club have agreed a fee plus additional add-ons for midfielder Craig Gardner. The move is now subject to a medical and the 23-year-old agreeing personal terms.