Jota and Gary Gardner seal moves between Birmingham and Aston Villa
Wednesday 5 June 2019 19:26, UK
Aston Villa have signed Jota from Birmingham for an undisclosed fee, with Gary Gardner sealing a permanent move in the opposite direction.
The 27-year-old winger is Villa's first signing since their promotion to the Premier League, which they secured last month with a play-off final victory over Derby.
Jota played for Villa boss Dean Smith at Brentford before moving to Birmingham in a club-record £6m deal in the summer of 2017, where the Spaniard went on to score eight goals in 75 appearances.
"I worked with Jota at Brentford," Smith said.
"He's a superb, talented player and Birmingham signed him as their record transfer.
"I'm really happy to have him back working with us. He's got great ability, great balance and a great eye for both goals and assists."
Gardner spent last season on loan at St Andrew's, but has now signed a three-year contract with the Sky Bet Championship club.
The 26-year-old scored two goals in 40 league appearances for Birmingham, as Garry Monk's side secured a 17th-placed finish despite the club incurring a nine-point penalty for financial breaches.
