Gary Gardner must leave Aston Villa this summer

Add as preferred source on Google

Aston Villa are now condemned to another season in the Championship after suffering defeat in the play-off final against Fulham yesterday. Steve Bruce’s side are set for another season in the second division and need to look at some new signings this summer to take the next step. They also might have to consider moving other players on. One player whose future is surely up in the air is central midfielder, Gary Gardner.

The local lad has been with Villa for 13 years and this summer he will turn 26-years-old. But still, he has lived a life of perennial loan deals and, since making his debut for Villa in 2011, has played just 46 times for the club.

In that time he has also spent successful loan spells at Coventry City, Sheffield Wednesday, Brighton and Nottingham Forest. This season he was at Barnsley, where he suffered relegation from the Championship.

So what next for Gardner?

There is a school of thought that Aston Villa remaining in the Championship might have helped his chances of getting into the first-team at Villa Park. however, Gardner has now tried and failed on numerous occasions to make it into the first-team at his local club and the time has come for him to move on.

He is under contract at the club until 2020 but his future is surely no longer at Bodymoor Heath. Gardner struggled for his best form in Yorkshire this season. Now the time has clearly come that the loan deals are no longer sustaining him. Gardner needs a permanent new home in order to fully show off his talents as an excellent midfield option at this level.

Back in the 2015-16 season, Gardner was brilliant on loan at Forest and he could rediscover that form if given the right opportunity at the right club.

The time has come for Aston Villa and Gardner to part, in order for the midfielder to finally establish himself as a top Championship player.

His departure would be the best option for his career.