Aston Villa complete signing of Birmingham City winger Jota as Gary Gardner departs
Premier League-bound Villa have completed their first signing of the summer after swooping for Blues winger Jota.
The 27-year-old has signed a two-year contract at Villa Park, as part of a deal which also sees midfielder Gary Gardner move across the Second City in the other direction.
Jota becomes the first player to move from Blues to Villa since Alan Curbishley in March, 1983.
He is a player well known to Dean Smith, having played under the Villa boss at Brentford before joining Blues in a club record deal in 2017.
Smith said: “I worked with Jota at Brentford. 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.”
Villa are understood to have paid a fee of around £4million for Jota, in addition to letting Gardner depart.
The 26-year-old Bodymoor Heath academy product spent the whole of last season on loan at St Andrew’s and was not part of Smith’s plans moving forward, as Villa prepare for life back in the top flight.
Jota will provide the boss with another option on the flanks following last week’s departure of Albert Adomah.
