Blues close in on Gardner capture

19 January 2010 10:54
Villa rejected an initial bid for Gardner and any add-ons relating to the deal have still to be thrashed out, but the clubs are understood to be on the verge of agreeing a £3.5 million fee for the England Under-21 international.[LNB]And Pannu is optimistic Gardner will follow defender Liam Ridgewell in moving directly from Villa to Blues.[LNB]Pannu said: "Our offer for Craig Gardner is still on the table and we are pretty close to a deal."[LNB]Gardner has come through the academy ranks at Villa but recognises the need to play first-team football at this stage of his career.[LNB]He has slipped further down the Villa pecking order this season after the arrival of Fabian Delph from Leeds and also has James Milner, Stewart Downing, Ashley Young, Nigel Reo-Coker, Steve Sidwell and Stiliyan Petrov ahead of him.[LNB]Gardner could become Blues boss Alex McLeish's second January signing after Sporting Gijon playmaker Michel.[LNB]He also wants to sign a striker with Liverpool's Ryan Babel still on his radar although attempts to sign Sunderland's Kenwyne Jones have floundered.[LNB]Blues striker Marcus Bent has returned to the club after a two-and-a-half-month loan spell at Middlesbrough.[LNB]Bent will now provide back-up for Cameron Jerome, Christian Benitez and veteran Kevin Phillips.[LNB][LNB]

Source: Team_Talk